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Russia-administered Baikonur, a city in Kazakhstan famous for its spaceport, is unlikely to see new hotels unless tourists begin visiting the site more often, according to the Russian news agency RIA Novosti, citing the city’s mayor Konstantin Busygin.

According to him, the recent launch of the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft attracted around 2,500 tourists, setting a new visitor record. All the hotels in both the city and the spaceport were sold out two months before the launch, forcing several guests to stay in the nearby villages of Toretam and Akay, or even in the more remote Zhosaly.

However, tourists visit the...

Air Arabia has launched direct flights between Abu Dhabi and Almaty. The first flight from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) successfully landed in Almaty today at 10:20 a.m. local time.

Travel between the two cities has become much easier, with a flight time of just 4 hours and 15 minutes. Passengers can now book flights three times a week: on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

One-way tickets start at 42,000 tenge (about $82.30). Passengers purchasing the cheapest basic fare are allowed a carry-on up to 10 kilograms. Those wishing to check heavier luggage will need to pay an additional 21,000 tenge...

Kazakhstan’s men’s volleyball team lost 0–3 to Iran in the first match of the semi-final group at the Central Asian Nations League, currently underway in Uzbekistan.

Although the Iranians — Asia’s vice-champions — brought a reserve squad to Fergana, they have now won four matches in a row. Against Iran, Kazakhstan had a real chance to take the second set but ultimately fell short in all three: 15–25, 28–30 and 15–25.

In another semi-final group match, India left Pakistan no chance, winning 3–0 (25–15, 25–19, 25–23). Remarkably, the match proceeded despite the strained political relations between the two countries, proving...

The Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market (ARDFM) has approved Vyacheslav Kim’s bid to acquire Jusan Bank, according to Interfax Kazakhstan, citing the press service of Kaspi.kz. Kim is a well-known businessman, co-owning Kaspi.kz, a fintech giant in Kazakhstan.

He submitted his application in February to purchase 97.5% of Jusan Bank shares. The regulator was initially expected to review the bid by April but extended the review period by two months, citing the need to «establish factual circumstances» important for evaluating the application.

Kim emphasized at the time that this potential acquisition was unrelated to Kaspi.kz, where...

Kazakhstan will introduce a 5% duty on goods valued over €200 purchased on marketplaces beyond the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). The move follows a decision made by the presidents of EEU member states, as reported by Kazakhstan’s State Revenue Committee.   

The corresponding amendments to the agreement on the EEU customs code were adopted in December 2023. In line with these changes, goods purchased by individuals on foreign online marketplaces are classified as e-commerce goods, which are subject to taxation at a unified rate of 5% on the goods’ value. At the same time, orders not exceeding the €200 duty-free...

Chinese-linked companies have emerged as major winners in Kazakhstan’s latest online auction of hydrocarbon blocks, securing rights to half of the available sites, according to the country’s Ministry of Energy.

Four blocks for hydrocarbon exploration and production were awarded in the subsoil use rights auction. The winning companies are as follows:

Russian Telegram channels accused Kazakhstan of importing drones that Ukraine used to carry out a large-scale attack on Russian airbases on June 1. The Kazakh government has not yet commented on the accusations.

On June 1, Ukrainian drones struck several Russian military facilities, including four airbases of the Russian Armed Forces in the Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan and Amur regions. According to some open-source data, more than 40 aircraft were damaged in the attack, including an A-50 reconnaissance aircraft, a Tu-95 strategic missile carrier and a Tu-22M3 supersonic bomber. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed the operation codenamed «Spiderweb» was carried...

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a speech expressing his congratulations on the 70th anniversary of the Baikonur Cosmodrome, calling it a symbol of space achievements and Kazakh-Russian partnership.

In his video address, Putin addressed Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the Russian and Kazakhstani peoples, as well as Baikonur’s employees and long-serving staff.

«The creation of Baikonur, along with the entire space programme, stands as a true feat, a testament to courage, determination and heroic spirit. We honour the monumental, selfless labour of the hundreds of thousands from all the republics of the Union who envisioned, designed...

Continued success in securing new orders helped lead to a further improvement in the health of Kazakhstan’s manufacturing sector in May. While new order growth remained solid, there were slowdowns in the rates of expansion of output, employment and purchasing activity, according to Freedom Holding Corp.

On the price front, unfavorable currency fluctuations led to a sharp rise in input costs, while competitive pressures limited the pace of output price inflation. The Freedom Holding Corp. Kazakhstan Manufacturing PMI® (Purchasing Managers’ Index™) registered 51.3 in May, broadly in line with the reading of 51.2 in April.

«As...

The Freedom QJ League is set to hold its first full-fledged football tournament for girls. The total cost of organizing this inaugural women’s season is estimated at 308 million tenge ($604,619), according to the Freedom QJ League press service.

According to the organization, its top priority this year is launching the first tournament for girls. This is especially important, as the QJ League has significantly transformed the landscape of youth football for boys in Kazakhstan over the past few years, while the situation in girls’ football has largely remained unchanged.

«These include competitions using the one-round-per-month...

Kazakhstan’s Ex-President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s recent visit to Moscow was personal and informal. According to the ex-president’s press secretary Aidos Ukibay, Nazarbayev shares a longstanding and friendly relationship with Vladimir Putin that remains strong regardless of whether he holds state authority.

According to him, Nazarbayev keeps in touch with various world leaders via phone calls, private correspondence and separate meetings. This applies not only to Russia, but also to Turkey, China, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Belarus and other nations.

«Interactions like this are common in international relations, reflecting personal bonds built over the years. Therefore, personal...

Kazakhstani boxers made a strong statement at the 2025 Thailand Open, claiming five gold medals on the final day of competition. The prestigious international tournament, held in Bangkok from May 24 to June 1, featured 186 athletes from 17 countries and is considered one of Asia’s premier boxing events.

In the men’s division, Torekhan Sabyrkhan (70 kg) and Dias Molzhigitov (80 kg) won gold for Kazakhstan. Sabyrkhan defeated his Uzbek opponent by judges’ unanimous decision, while Molzhigitov earned a 4-1 victory over a Chinese fighter.

In the women’s division, Kazakhstan added three more gold medals courtesy of Viktoriya Grafeyeva...

Kazakhstan’s boxing sensation Angelina Lukas has successfully defended her IBO World Super Flyweight Championship title in front of a hometown crowd in Taraz.

In the main event of IBO fight week, Lukas dominated Chile’s Daniela Asenjo, securing a technical knockout victory. The bout carried extra emotional weight for Lukas, who was seeking redemption after a previous loss to Asenjo two years ago.

The early rounds saw both fighters moving cautiously, testing each other’s weaknesses. But momentum shifted decisively between the third and fourth rounds when Lukas began to apply sustained pressure.

Landing a series of clean, powerful shots from multiple...

Starting this June, Omani SalamAir is set to launch direct flights on the Almaty–Muscat route. The decision was made during a meeting between Kazakhstan’s Minister of Transport Marat Karabayev and Oman’s Minister of Finance Sultan Salim Al Habsi, where they discussed prospects for cooperation in transport.

The leading topic of the meeting was developing a partnership involving the Omani ports of Sohar, Salalah and Duqm, alongside strengthening cooperation within the International North–South Transport Corridor. The Omani side expressed readiness to deepen interaction with Kazakhstan.

Restoring flights between the countries marks their effort toward a strategic partnership and the expansion of...

Kazakhstan’s largest oil field, Kashagan, located on the Caspian Sea shelf, is expected to reach 1 billion barrels of cumulative oil production by the end of 2025, according to the Energy Monitor Telegram channel.

The projection was shared following a May 28 meeting between Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and ExxonMobil Vice President Peter Larden. Since the field began operations, approximately 906 million barrels have been produced. Recoverable reserves are currently estimated at 15.8 billion barrels, with reserves continuing to increase.

Bektenov and Larden discussed expanding cooperation in the oil and gas sector, including infrastructure development and the adoption of...

Starting June 30, Russia will put into effect new rules and terms for entering and exiting the country for foreigners and stateless individuals, announced Irina Volk, the official representative of Russia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA).

According to the new rules, Kazakhstanis who enter Russia visa-free must file an electronic application no later than 72 hours before the planned date of travel. This also applies to official representatives of children or legally incapacitated persons.

«The application may be filed no later than four hours before travel in cases of documented circumstances that require prompt entry into...

Emin Agalarov, a well-known Azerbaijani singer and entrepreneur, visited Mangystau, admiring the natural beauty of the region.

«What an amazing planet we live on! Thank you for the warm welcome, Kazakhstan,» Agalarov captioned the vivid video from the region.

The footage shows the singer visiting Bozzhyra and Aktau. Although it is unclear how long he stayed in Kazakhstan, he managed to ride a horse, shoot a bow and get acquainted with local traditions. The artist was also captured wearing a traditional Kazakh garment — a chapan — against the backdrop of a yurt, the traditional...

Danone will invest €6 million in its plant in the Almaty region in 2025 and 2026 to increase annual production to 40,000 tons, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Agriculture.

Once the plant’s modernization is complete, it will be able to expand its range of products. Moreover, the upgrade will enable the company to double export volumes to Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Mongolia, as well as enter the markets of China and the Middle East by 2027.

The plant currently produces 18,000 tons of dairy products annually, with a third of these exports destined for countries in Central Asia, the...

On the evening of May 31, a team of rescuers under Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations successfully evacuated three men who found themselves in trouble on Mount Shymbulak in the Talgar district of the Almaty region. At an altitude of 3,450 meters, the young men aged 24 to 25 reported being unable to continue their descent on their own after experiencing physical exhaustion and cramps. They promptly called 112 — the rescue service number — and reported their location.

After receiving the urgent call, a team of rescuers based at a post on Medeu was dispatched to respond. Upon reaching...

On June 1, QalamBalam, a new educational media project for children and teenagers aged 7 to 16, was launched in Kazakhstan. This is a digital media outlet that helps children better understand history, science, culture and society through short and engaging videos. The content is designed to complement the school curriculum and help children expand their knowledge beyond standard requirements.

The project was developed by the Qalam team, a well-known educational resource dedicated to the history and culture of Kazakhstan, Central Asia and the Turkic world. QalamBalam is available on popular platforms such as TikTok and YouTube, where children often...

Russia is experiencing difficulties with financing the delivery of equipment for three combined heat and power plants (CHP) it has committed to build in Kazakhstan. According to the Interfax-Kazakhstan news agency, citing Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar, if the Russian side fails to settle the issue, Astana will have no other choice but to look for another investor.

«All three CHP projects are underway. There are issues related to the subsidized interest rate for the equipment, so we are negotiating to resolve this matter. … Of course, another [investor] may be appointed if Russia doesn’t allocate...

Kazakhstani banks earned approximately $1.7 billion in net profit during the first four months of 2025, according to data released by the National Bank. April alone accounted for nearly $470 million, a record monthly figure so far this year.

Top 5 banks by net profit (January-April 2025):

Halyk Bank – $170 million in April; $653 million total.

Kaspi Bank – $89 million in April; $340 million total.

Bank CenterCredit – $38 million in April; $192 million total.

Jusan Bank – $33 million in April; $110 million total.

ForteBank – $32 million in April; $114 million total.

Following the top five...

Kazakhstan plans to significantly increase cargo traffic along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor, bypassing Russia. Marat Karabayev, Kazakhstan’s minister of transport, announced during the Astana International Forum (AIF) that freight volumes on the route are projected to surpass 10 million tons by 2027.

«Cargo turnover was 800,000 tons, and now it has reached 4.5 million tons, a sevenfold increase over the past three years,» Karabayev said. «I’m confident we’ll exceed 10 million tons by 2027. All the data supports this projection.»

He noted that Kazakhstan has already signed...

For the first time, Kazakhstan’s net international reserves exceeded $50 billion, according to statistics from the National Bank. In April, the value increased by 4.76% or $2.28 billion and by 15.51% or $6.75 billion, since the beginning of the year.

Gross international reserves — composed of monetary gold and assets denominated in convertible foreign currency (CFC) — totaled $52.3 billion.

Gold reserves reached $30.7 billion, marking a 5.59% increase over the month and a 29.06% rise since the beginning of the year. Assets in CFC totaled $21.6 billion, showing a 3.33% monthly increase but a 1.61% decrease year-to-date.

At...