MOSCOW, April 2 (Reuters) - Russian restrictions were

imposed Black Sea oil export infrastructure from the Caspian

pipeline (CPC) due to Ukrainian drone attacks on the pipeline's

infrastructure, the Kremlin said on Wednesday.

Russia ordered the Black Sea terminal handling Kazakhstan's

oil exports pumped by U.S. majors Chevron ( CVX ) and Exxon

Mobil ( XOM ) to close two of its three moorings earlier this

week following snap inspections by Russia's transport watchdog.

Moscow has accused Ukraine of striking a CPC Kropotkinskaya

pumping station and a nearby oil depot in southern Russia.

Russia's pipeline monopoly Transneft also said earlier

on Wednesday that it suspended an oil berth at the Novorossiisk

Black Sea port due following the watchdog's checks.

"This is due to the damage that was caused to the CPC

infrastructure after the strikes by Ukrainian drones," Kremlin

spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a daily conference

call.

"We must not forget that enormous damage was done there,

very complex damage in technological terms. And this cannot, of

course, not have consequences for the functionality of the

entire system, unfortunately," he said.

The attacks occurred amid efforts, mediated by U.S.

President Donald Trump's administration, to end the war between

Russia and Ukraine. Kazakhstan and Chevron ( CVX ) have said the flows

via the pipeline had not been interrupted.

Trump has said he was

unhappy

with Russia and the rate of progress in peace talks with

Ukraine

, and threatened to impose secondary tariffs on buyers of

Russian oil.