A sudden halt to Kazakh crude shipments threatens eastern German fuel security. The perfectly timed disruption hands the AfD a powerful weapon ahead of regional elections. Berlin insists that Russia’s decision to halt Kazakh crude deliveries via the northern Druzhba pipeline from May 1 will not trigger a nationwide fuel crisis. The cutoff does, however, underscore the Schwedt refinery’s critical role in guaranteeing fuel security for the capital region and broader eastern Germany. Moscow has