Kazakhstan’s energy ministry is negotiating with the Russian government to refine Russian crude oil and return a portion of the resulting petroleum products to Moscow.
The arrangement, reported by The Moscow Times, emerges as Russia grapples with a worsening domestic fuel shortage driven by intensified attacks on its energy infrastructure.
The proposed deal highlights the growing interdependence between the two nations' energy sectors.
While Kazakhstan has recently resumed crude exports through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal in Novorossiysk, this new initiative focuses on value-added processing rather than simple transit.
By refining Russian crude, Kazakhstan could help alleviate immediate bottlenecks in Moscow's supply chain while securing a steady feedstock for its own refineries.
This development underscores the structural vulnerabilities in Russia's energy logistics.