ASTANA – Kazakh Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov confirmed the suspension of Kazakh oil transit to Germany via Russia, citing technical constraints on the Russian side. Earlier reports suggested that transit through the Druzhba pipeline could be halted starting May 1.
While no official notification has been received from Russia, unofficial information indicates that shipments have effectively stopped, with zero volumes recorded for May and projected for the second quarter, Akkenzhenov told Kazinform on the sidelines of the Regional Ecological Summit 2026 (RES) on April 22.
He noted that Russian counterparts cited a lack of technical capacity to transport Kazakh oil, adding that this may be linked to recent infrastructure attacks. However, he stressed this remains an assumption. Akkenzhenov also said that transit is expected to resume once technical challenges are resolved.
Kazakhstan has begun redirecting export volumes through alternative routes. According to the Energy Ministry, transit via the Druzhba pipeline accounts for a relatively small share of Kazakhstan’s total oil exports. However, it remains significant for supplying the German refinery in Schwedt.