Kazakh oil shipments via Russia, most of which are headed for a Black Sea terminal, are continuingnormally, Kazakh Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliyev said on Tuesday, despite escalating tensions after the breakdown of the Ukrainian grain deal.

Russia and Ukraine have warned they would consider ships headed for each other’s ports in the Black Sea valid targets after Moscow refused to extend a deal which had allowed safe exports of grain from Ukrainian ports.

The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) pipeline terminating at the Russian coast of the Black Sea is the main export route for Kazakh oil, although the Central Asian nation is now trying to increase shipments via alternative routes.

“There are no issues with the CPC pipeline today,” Satkaliyev told reporters.
Source: Reuters (Reporting by Tamara Vaal; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Kim Coghill)