People attend a rally organized by the National Resistance Movement under the slogan ?Let's demonstrate against Ukrainian blackmail? at the Embassy of Ukraine in Budapest, Hungary, 06 March 2026. The rally is called to protest against the recent service disruption of the Druzhba oil pipeline, which transports Russian oil to Hungary via Ukraine. EPA/Tibor Illyes HUNGARY OUT The move, which Germany says has not yet been confirmed by the Russian government, would deal a major blow to the PCK Schwedt refinery, which supplies most of the fuel to Berlin.
It also adds to Germany's fuel supply concerns as the Iran war disrupts flows from the Gulf.
Kazakhstan's oil exports to Germany via Russia's Druzhba pipeline totalled 2.146 million metric tons, or around 43,000 barrels per day, last year, an increase of 44% from 2024, and 730,000 tons in the first quarter of 2026.
Three industry sources had told Reuters on Tuesday that Russia was set to stop oil exports from Kazakhstan via the Druzhba pipeline starting from May 1.
Supplies to Germany have been carried over a northern section of the pipeline, separate from the southern one that supplies Hungary and Slovakia and is about to resume operation after repairs following a Russian drone strike in January.
Germany controls Schwedt via a trusteeship after it effectively seized the stake of its majority owner Rosneft ROSN.MM following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The ministry said Rosneft had informed Berlin that "on the instructions of the Russian Ministry of Energy, from May 1, 2026, no Kazakh crude oil may be transported via the Druzhba pipeline through the territory of the Russian Federation to the PCK refinery."
Rosneft Germany was assessing the step and would adapt to any new situation, the ministry said, adding the Russian group was aware of its responsibility to the region.
"At the same time, existing options will be utilised to ensure security of supply in Germany," it said.
It also said that the lack of supplies from Kazakhstan - which cover about 17% of Schwedt's needs - did not "ultimately jeopardise the security of supply of petroleum products in Germany."
The Federal Network Agency, the country's energy regulator, which acts as trustee of Rosneft Germany's activities, said there might still be regional pricing effects, adding it was closely coordinating with the company.
Russia's energy ministry declined to comment and Rosneft Germany was not immediately available for comment.
While stripped of control via the German trusteeship, Rosneft remains the main legal owner of the Schwedt refinery, holding a 54.17% stake, with Shell SHEL.L and Eni ENI.MI holding 37.5% and 8.33%, respectively.
(Reporting by Christoph Steitz, Additional reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; editing by Matthias Williams, Thomas Seythal and Tomasz Janowski)