KRASNODAR, July 20. /TASS/. The attacks carried out by the Ukrainian regime on the offshore terminals of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) are acts of economic and environmental terrorism, State Duma deputy from the Krasnodar Territory and deputy chairman of the committee on economic policy Sergey Altukhov told TASS.
"Targeted terrorist attacks on the offshore terminals of the CPC demonstrate the true essence of the Kiev regime. This has nothing to do with military objectives; this is another act of economic and environmental terrorism. For the second day in a row, UAVs are striking civilian infrastructure," Altukhov stated.
On July 20, the civilian maritime tanker Nelsa, which was loading at the marine terminal of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), was attacked by an unmanned aerial vehicle. As a result of a strike on the aft part of the starboard side between the superstructure and the engine-boiler room, a fire broke out on the deck and in the compartments of the tanker. The fire was extinguished within several hours, and the vessel maintained buoyancy. The international crew of 22 people, with the exception of the captain and the senior first mate, was evacuated. No oil spill was allowed.
As reported by the CPC, the terminal was forced to suspend crude loading once again. Earlier, the company had resumed oil shipments on the evening of July 19 after a previous attack on the terminal.
About the company
The CPC pipeline system is the largest route for transporting oil from the Caspian region to world markets. The main pipeline, with a length of 1.5 thousand kilometers, connects the fields of Western Kazakhstan with the Russian coast of the Black Sea, where oil is loaded onto tankers through the CPC marine terminal.
Among the largest shareholders of the consortium are Russia (through Transneft), Kazakhstan (through KazMunayGas), structures of Chevron, Lukoil, ExxonMobil, and the Rosneft-Shell joint venture.
Earlier, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry condemned the UAV attacks on civilian vessels involved in the legitimate transportation of oil through the infrastructure of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium that occurred on July 17 and 19 in the Black Sea waters. In its statement, the ministry noted that it regards "such attacks as an unacceptable encroachment on the economic interests of the Republic of Kazakhstan."