Putin Accuses West of Coordinating Drone Attack on Caspian Pipeline Consortium

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of orchestrating a drone attack on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) oil pumping station in the Krasnodar region, alleging that the operation was likely coordinated with Western allies. Putin emphasized that Ukraine lacks the capabilities to execute such a sophisticated attack independently and suggested that it had received crucial intelligence support from its Western partners.

The attack occurred on February 17, when seven Ukrainian drones targeted the Kropotkinskaya oil pumping station, resulting in significant damage. This incident has led to a decrease in oil transport volumes from Kazakhstan to global markets. Putin highlighted the difficulties that would arise in restoring the facility, citing the reliance on Western equipment, which is increasingly difficult to procure due to ongoing sanctions against Russia.

The Russian president expressed concern over potential spikes in energy prices on the global market stemming from the attack. He indicated that the CPC is a vital conduit for oil exports from Kazakhstan, involving significant Western companies such as Chevron and ExxonMobil. “The attack on the CPC could destabilize the global energy market,” he warned.

In a separate development, Putin reported that Russian troops had crossed the border into Ukraine’s Kursk region and advanced into the Sumy region, with units from the 810th Brigade launching an offensive across the entire combat line. However, Ukrainian officials denied these claims, asserting that no such advances had occurred.

Earlier, on February 12, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed a controversial plan to exchange Ukrainian-controlled territories in the Kursk region for previously lost lands in a bid to establish a peace agreement. This initiative was met with a firm rejection from the Kremlin, with presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov stating that Russia has never considered, and will not consider, the possibility of trading its territories.