Kazakh president dismisses defence minister after Caspian drill deaths
A criminal case has been opened after 14 people died when naval personnel were swept out to sea during exercises on the Caspian coast.
In the aftermath of a tragic incident during Caspian Sea exercises, Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has taken decisive action, dismissing Defence Minister Dauren Kosanov. The decision comes in the wake of 17 naval personnel losing their lives and three others being rescued due to adverse weather conditions and strong winds.
Following the incident, a criminal case has been initiated, accusing the deceased of "negligent performance of duty resulting in grave consequences" and "violation of navigation rules". The Kazakh government has responded by forming a commission to meticulously investigate the incident, with the mandate to present initial findings within a week.
In addition to this, the interior ministry reported the arrest of five defence ministry officials as part of the ongoing investigation. Tokayev's swift action underscores the seriousness of the situation and signals a commitment to ensuring accountability and transparency within the military hierarchy.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 2 other outlets
- Kazakh president dismisses defence minister after Caspian drill deaths freemalaysiatoday.com
- Kazakh President Dismisses Defense Minister After Drill Deaths bloomberg.com
