Ukraine Halts Drone Attacks on Russian Oil Tankers at US Vice President's Request

According to a Financial Times report carried by Oilprice.com on Wednesday, August 12, 2026 (21 Mordad 1405), citing unnamed Ukrainian officials, Ukrainian forces have suspended drone attacks on oil tankers at Russia's Novorossiysk port at the request of US Vice President JD Vance. An unnamed US official said the request stemmed from concern that the attacks were adding to instability in the global oil market, after they had already shut down the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) twice in the past two months. The attacks had pushed Kazakhstan's oil and condensate production down to about 1 million barrels a day at the end of July, roughly half the average of 2 million barrels a day in June. The official said Washington views the CPC as "a vital conduit for Kazakhstan origin energy to European markets" and an alternative to Russian supplies, and has also told the Zelensky government to stop targeting non Russian tankers in the Black Sea. Kazakhstan's Energy Ministry said on Monday it is examining alternative routes, including the Baku Tbilisi Ceyhan pipeline, Caspian Sea shipping and the Baku Supsa route; the country sends about 80% of its oil exports via the CPC.