Kazakh oil supplies to Germany face halt via Russian pipeline Exclusive by Reuters

Russia is set to halt oil exports from Kazakhstan to Germany via the Druzhba pipeline starting May 1, according to three industry sources who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity.

The sources said an updated export schedule reflecting the halt has already been sent to both Kazakhstan and Germany. No official confirmation has been issued so far.

Relations between Russia and Germany have deteriorated significantly in recent years, largely due to the conflict in Ukraine and Berlin’s support for Kyiv, adding geopolitical context to the reported decision.

Russia’s energy ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he was not aware of any plans to stop the exports, telling reporters during a regular conference call that authorities would “try to check” the information.

Germany placed the local subsidiaries of Rosneft, Russia’s largest oil producer, under trusteeship in 2022, a move that significantly disrupted long-standing energy ties between Berlin and Moscow.

Kazakhstan has been supplying crude oil to Germany through Russia using the northern branch of the Druzhba pipeline, which runs through Poland. In 2025, these shipments totaled 2.146 million metric tons, or approximately 43,000 barrels per day, marking a 44% increase compared with 2024.

However, the flow of oil has faced repeated disruptions due to Ukrainian drone attacks targeting sections of the pipeline within Russian territory.

Part of the oil transported via Druzhba supplies the PCK refinery in the northeastern German town of Schwedt, one of the country’s largest refining facilities. The refinery has relied in part on Kazakh crude since Germany halted imports of Russian oil following the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine in 2022.

By Tamilla Hasanova