Ex-Commander of Kazakhstan Naval Forces Arrested Following Fatal Caspian Exercise

The former Commander-in-Chief of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kanat Niyazbekov, has been detained in connection with a tragic military training incident in the Caspian Sea that resulted in the deaths of 14 service members. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the former official is suspected of official negligence.

Niyazbekov was initially placed in a temporary detention facility, after which the court formally sanctioned his arrest. The pre-trial investigation remains ongoing.

The incident occurred on September 24 in the Mangystau region during a military exercise. Amid the execution of a combat training mission, a sudden worsening of weather conditions swept 17 service members out into the open sea. While three personnel were rescued, 14 lost their lives.

Following the tragedy, criminal cases were initiated under charges of negligence in office and violations of navigation rules. Earlier in the investigation, law enforcement detained the First Deputy Commander-in-Chief – Chief of Staff of the Naval Forces, two military unit commanders, a marine company commander, and a boat commander.

Kanat Niyazbekov had been dismissed from his position as Commander-in-Chief of the Naval Forces by presidential decree on October 3.