By Elena Teslova
MOSCOW (AA) - Kazakhstan expressed "serious concern" on Wednesday over drone attacks on three tankers in the Black Sea near the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) marine terminal.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Yerlan Zhetibayev said the targeted vessels had all necessary permits and identification.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan expresses serious concern over the drone attacks on three tankers heading to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium's marine terminal in the Black Sea on January 13, 2026," he said.
Zhetibayev emphasized that Kazakhstan is not party to any armed conflict, contributes significantly to global and European energy security, and ensures the uninterrupted supply of energy resources in full compliance with international norms.
He said Kazakh diplomats have discussed measures to ensure the safety of oil transportation with European and American counterparts following the attacks.
The spokesman noted that the increasing frequency of incidents near CPC facilities points to "growing risks to international energy infrastructure."
"We note that the increasing number of incidents indicates growing risks to the functioning of international energy infrastructure and call on partners to cooperate closely in developing joint measures to prevent such incidents in the future," he said.
No one has claimed responsibility for the attack on tankers, though Russia accused Ukraine of striking at least one vessel, the Maltese-flagged Matilda. "The tanker Matilda, flying the flag of Malta, was attacked by two Ukrainian attack drones at a distance of about 100 km from the city of Anapa, Krasnodar region," the Defense Ministry said.
Ukraine has yet to respond to the accusation.
Since November 2025, several oil tankers have been targeted in drone attacks. Russia has accused Ukraine of orchestrating the strikes, claiming the objective is to drive up insurance premiums and thereby disrupt deliveries by making them prohibitively expensive.
The CPC's infrastructure has been attacked multiple times, including when a single-point mooring unit was damaged by unmanned boats. Russia blamed Ukraine for the strike, and Kazakhstan protested what it called a "deliberate attack," urging Kyiv to prevent such incidents in the future.
In response, Kyiv said it noted Astana's concerns regarding CPC infrastructure and reiterated that its operations are not directed against Kazakhstan or any third party, but are aimed solely at “repelling full-scale Russian aggression.”