Russia plans to stop oil exports from Kazakhstan to Germany via the Druzhba pipeline from May 1, threatening a key refinery which supplies the vast majority of diesel, petrol and heating oil needed for the city of Berlin.
The PCK refinery, located in the town of Schwedt about 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of Berlin, receives oil supplies via the pipeline. Previously runย by Russian oil major Rosneft, the German government seized the refinery’s operations following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Since 2022, the refinery has importedย Kazakh crude oil in increasing volumes, which is transported from the Central Asian nation, across Russian territory, to Berlin.
The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy confirmed the news to DW in a statement.
“Rosneft Germany has informed the Federal Network Agency, acting as trustee, that, following instructions from the Russian Ministry of Energy, the transit of Kazakh crude oil through the Druzhba pipeline across Russian territory to the PCK refinery is prohibited as of May 1, 2026,” the ministry said.
“The Russian Federation has not yet confirmed this to the German government. Rosneft Germany is currently assessing the implications and will adapt to any changes in the situation,” it added.ย
Reuters first reported the news on Tuesday, April 21, quoting multiple industry sources.
A vital refinery
The refinery supplies Berlin and the surrounding region with more than 90% of theirย petrol, diesel and heating fuel.
However, the refinery is not completely dependent on oil from Kazakhstan. Since 2022, most of its oil comes from ports, such as in Rostock and in Poland, and not via the Druzhba pipeline
However, a complete halt to deliveries via Druzhba would present a major challenge as about 17% of the almost 12 million metric tons of oil a year processed by the refinery comes via that link.
“The cessation of Kazakh oil deliveries to the PCK refinery does not ultimately jeopardize the security of supply of petroleum products in Germany, even though PCK Schwedt would have to operate at a reduced capacity,”ย aย spokesperson for the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy told DW.
The ministry said Rosneft Germany, the subsidiary of Russian state-owned Rosneft which is now under the control of the German state, would “fulfil its obligations” and “will utilize existing options to ensure security of supply in Germany.”
PCK did not respond to DW’s request for comment. While the refinery is likely to have enough alternatives to maintain much of its supply, the news comes as Europe and other parts of the world are grappling with one of the most serious energy crises in decades.
The war in Iran and the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz has reduced the flow of oil to Europe and Asia, and has seen prices soaring.
Kerosene, needed for jet fuel and a key product from the PCK refinery, is in particularly short supply at present as a result of the crisis. Airlines around the world have been forced to cut flights, with Lufthansa slashing 20,000 from its May to October schedule this week.
‘Threatening Europe’s energy security’
Russia has repeatedly tried to weaponize energy exports since it began the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The war ultimately led the EU to pivot away from its reliance onย Russian oil and gas.
Since the war began, the EU’s dependency on Russian gas has fallen from 45% of overall gasย imports to 12% in 2025. For oil, the figure has fallen from 27% to 2%. The REPower EU Regulation aims to completely end the import of Russian oil and gas by 2027.
Benjamin Hilgenstock, a senior economist at the Kyiv School of Economics, saidย Russia will continue to threaten Europe’s economic and energy security whenever it can.
“This news illustrates, once again, that Russia will retain the ability to threaten European energy security until all imports from and through Russia have stopped,” he told DW.
“Evidently, even purportedly small overall volumes can be quite sensitive for certain countries, regions, or refineries. Germany, and the EU, should complete the exit from Russian fossil fuels as soon as possible, with no further delays to the REPowerEU agenda.”
A complicated future
The Russian government has not yet commented on the news. However, last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin openly called for his government to “explore the feasibility” of cutting energy supplies to Europe.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov recently criticized the EU for continuing to sanction and reject Russian oil despite the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.
Kazakhstan’s Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov has suggested that the closure of supplies via the pipeline could also be due to technical problems caused as a result of Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure.
Kazakhstan began sending the first batches of crude to Schwedt in January 2023. Up until then, the refinery had been fed almost exclusively with Russian oil.
While the latest news is a blow, the refinery’s successful pivot away from Russian oil since 2022 suggests it is well-placed to find alternatives should supply via Druzhba be cut off permanently.
Even before the latest news, the PCK refinery has been a source of deep uncertainty for Germany’s energy future.
Still owned by Russia but run by Germany, it is currently exempted from US sanctions targeting Rosneft. That exemption was due to expire on April 29 but was extended in March, without a specific end date being given.
The sanctions prohibit Western companies and customers dealing with Rosneft but the German government intensely lobbied Washington to allow the refinery to continue operations, given its strategic importance.
Edited by: Srinivas Mazumdaru