News

Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security (SCNS) has detained Natalia Sekerina, an employee of Russkiy Dom (Russian House) — a branch of Russia’s network of cultural centers abroad — on suspicion of recruiting mercenaries, according to the Azattyk.org news portal.

On April 19, a court in Bishkek ordered Sekerina held in pretrial detention until June 17. She is accused of recruiting individuals to participate in armed conflicts abroad. Authorities have not released further details about the case.

In addition to Sekerina, three other individuals are reportedly involved, including Sergey Lapushkin, a former member of the press service at the Osh...

Kazakhstan is set to launch geological exploration in several areas estimated to hold more than 500 billion cubic meters of natural gas, according to Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov.

«Kazakhstan has been actively expanding geological exploration in the gas sector. One of our top priorities is increasing the volume of proven hydrocarbon reserves,» Akkenzhenov said during a recent cabinet meeting. «As part of this effort, the national company QazaqGaz is working across 15 subsoil areas currently included in the state subsoil fund management program. Preliminary estimates indicate that total gas resources in these projects amount to roughly...

How has retail trade changed?

How has wholesale trade changed?

What’s next for trade in 2025?

Emerging trends in Kazakhstan’s domestic trade sector during the first quarter (Q1) of 2025 are shaping not only economic growth forecasts but also influencing the National Bank’s decisions. While wholesale trade is showing strong momentum, retail is growing at a more measured pace.

Kursiv Research continues its in-depth analysis of Kazakhstan’s trade sector. Domestic trade often serves as a leading indicator, signaling broader economic shifts before other metrics catch up.

How has retail trade changed?

According to preliminary data from...

Kazakhstan’s national carrier Air Astana has launched its first direct flight from Almaty to Mumbai, with the inaugural service taking off on April 20, the airline announced via its official Telegram channel.

The launch marks a milestone, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of Air Astana’s first flight to India. The new route to Mumbai will operate three times per week — on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays — with a flight time of just under five hours.

The new service not only offers a faster connection for Kazakhstani travelers heading to Mumbai but also positions the city as a convenient transit...

The specialized environmental prosecutor’s office of the West Kazakhstan region has fined Karachaganak Petroleum Operating (KPO) nearly $1.4 million for exceeding emissions limits, according to a statement published on the agency’s website.

KPO, the consortium responsible for developing Kazakhstan’s Karachaganak oil field, reportedly released 264 tons of pollutants into the environment above the legally established quotas.

This fine comes despite KPO’s ongoing reports on its environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives. The company has frequently highlighted efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. In 2019, KPO invested $25 million in sensor systems designed to monitor emissions more accurately.

According to its...

Tarik Volkan Oskay, the CEO and managing partner of NEF Real Estate Kazakhstan (NEF Qazaqstan) and a citizen of Turkey, has been placed on the wanted list by Almaty police. The Ministry of Internal Affairs officially added him to the list of wanted individuals on April 19.

In addition to his role at NEF Qazaqstan — known in Kazakhstan for its real estate and commercial property developments — Oskay previously held executive positions at several prominent companies, including the Rixos President Hotel, Sembol Investment & Development, Capital Partners and Almaly Asset Management. In 2014, the latter company was headed by...

Workers from Kasibi Tandau LLC, a Kazakhstani contractor of Tengizchevroil (TCO) at the Tengiz oil field, have gone on strike, demanding a 50% pay increase, according to Ak Zhayik, a weekly newspaper in Atyrau.

Employees of TCO’s transportation department have also joined the strike, seeking a 100% pay increase. The workers have released a video appeal, asking the company not to punish them for their collective statement.

According to Ak Zhayik, TCO workers sent a letter directly to TCO Managing Director William Lacobie, Kasibi Tandau CEO Aynur Smith and the head of COCR, citing rising inflation and soaring prices as...

On April 19, 2024, Kazakhstan effectively banned the sale, production and distribution of electronic cigarettes and vapes. To ensure compliance with the law, authorities introduced high fines and serious penalties — up to five years in prison with property seizure by the government — for violations.

Kursiv.media decided to find out whether it’s still possible to buy a prohibited product, and discovered a full-fledged black market for vapes in the country. For those selling these products, there seem to be no legal barriers they can’t overcome.

What has changed over the year

«I try to save...

As of April 1, Kazakhstani banks possessed refined precious metals worth $93 million. For comparison, this figure was just $39.1 million a year earlier. According to data from the National Bank, the amount has increased 2.4 times, or by 136%, over the year.

That being said, the increase was primarily driven by the rising value of gold. As of April 2024, gold was priced at $60.59 per gram, compared to $96.72 per gram a year later (+59%).

Almost all Kazakhstani banks ramped up their precious metal holdings over the past year. At the start of 2025, these assets stood at...

According to Saltanat Igenbekova, an analyst at Halyk Finance, Kazakhstan’s GDP growth will reach 5.3% by the end of the year, which is 0.5 percentage points higher than the rate at the end of 2024 (4.8%). This forecast is based on the strong performance of the first quarter (5.8%) and the record growth of the short-term economic indicator (SEI; 8.3%).

The SEI reflects the change in the physical production volume in key sectors of the country’s economy and includes more than 60% of Kazakhstan’s GDP. The indicator is calculated in monetary terms. At the end of the quarter, the SEI...

Turar, a citizen of Kazakhstan, is among a growing number of Central Asians working seasonal agricultural jobs in the U.K. Alongside his wife, he recently began working on a flower farm in England and shared his experience with Kursiv.media, detailing how he secured the job, what the work entails and how much he earns.

Working in the U.K.

Each year, the British government brings in thousands of foreign laborers to help plant, maintain and harvest crops. These temporary jobs typically last about six months, with most workers heading to England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

The work involves harvesting fruits...

On April 19, Russia and Ukraine carried out a large prisoner exchange as part of the Easter swap, involving hundreds of captives. Among those exchanged were two Kazakh nationals, according to lists published by the Russian Telegram channel «Nash Vykhod» («Our Way Out»).

The two Kazakhstanis handed over to Russia by Ukraine were identified as 23-year-old Yerbolat Ordabayev and 20-year-old Sherkhan Yegamberdiev.

Russia’s Defense Ministry stated that 246 Russian servicemembers were returned from Ukrainian-controlled territory. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that 277 Ukrainian servicemembers had returned home.

In a related development, Kazakhstani authorities reported in November 2024 that since...

Kazakhstan’s Milad Karimi captured another gold medal at the 17th FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup series in Doha, Qatar, continuing his strong run on the international stage.

According to Kazakhstan’s National Olympic Committee (NOC), Karimi scored 14.500 points to win the men’s horizontal bar event. Taiwan’s Tang Chia-Hung took silver, while China’s Tang Qi earned the bronze.

On April 18, Karimi also won gold in the floor exercise, scoring 14.466 points.

Kazakhstan finished the competition with four medals in total. Nariman Kurbanov claimed bronze in the pommel horse and Altynkhan Temirbek secured silver in the floor exercise.

At the...

Air Arabia, the low-cost carrier based in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE), will launch direct flights from Abu Dhabi to Almaty starting June 3, 2025.

The new route will operate three times a week — on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The flight duration is approximately 4 hours and 15 minutes from Abu Dhabi to Almaty and 4 hours and 45 minutes on the return leg.

Flight schedule:

Round-trip tickets...

Last year, Kazakhstan became the leader in terms of industrial output in Central Asia, as reported by the country’s Ministry of Industry.

At the time, industrial production in Kazakhstan reached $106.8 billion, which is 1.5 times more than in Uzbekistan, 16 times more than in Kyrgyzstan and almost 22 times more than in Turkmenistan. In terms of processing volumes, Kazakhstan took second place among the Central Asian countries after Uzbekistan, with $52.2 billion. This value exceeds the volume of Kyrgyzstan by 10 times.

Russia remains the leader in industrial output in the CIS with $1.3 trillion, including $896.5 billion in...

Arbitration proceedings over Kashagan — Kazakhstan’s largest oil field located on the Caspian shelf — could drag on until 2028, according to a new investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ).

ICIJ’s findings are based on a confidential interim ruling in a $160 billion case, which centers on Kazakhstan’s claim that a group of international oil companies receive 98% of the Kashagan oil revenue after modest royalty payments.

«Kazakhstan’s claim was registered with the Permanent Court of Arbitration, founded in 1899 in The Hague, and is being heard by an arbitration tribunal in...

According to Davronjon Adilov, deputy minister of construction and housing and communal services of Uzbekistan, the banks of the Chirchik River in Tashkent have been chosen as the future site for Central Asia’s largest oceanarium, as reported by Gazeta.uz, citing the Uzbekistan 24 TV channel.

The new oceanarium, along with various shopping and entertainment centers, a four-star hotel, and service facilities, will be built in New Tashkent on an area of 20 hectares, Adilov said.

The official is confident that the construction of the oceanarium in New Tashkent will boost the inflow of investment and open new opportunities for Tashkent...

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone on April 17, discussing current issues related to cooperation in the energy sector.

«Additionally, Vladimir Putin shared his assessments of the progress achieved in the dialogue between Russia and the U.S.,» the Russian president’s press office reported.

During the call, both leaders emphasized the significance of the upcoming 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945).

«Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will naturally take part in the events to be held in Moscow to celebrate the occasion,» the statement said.

The Development Bank of Kazakhstan (DBK), a subsidiary of Baiterek Holding, has borrowed €200 million from the European Investment Bank (EIB). This money will be spent on the support of energy and transport infrastructure, as reported by the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange (KASE).

Over the past year, the DBK has already borrowed about $1.4 billion.

«These funds will be allocated for the improvement of the transportation network, implementation of the Trans-Caspian International Route, as well as the development of projects in the field of renewable energy sources and the fight against climate change,» the DBK said.

Kazakhstan has delivered nearly 40 railcars of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, totaling more than 2,000 tons, according to the official Primeminister.kz website.

The shipment included food, medicines and essential supplies such as tents, blankets, cooking oil, flour and cereals. A separate flight is scheduled to deliver additional medical supplies. Officials said the effort reflects the ongoing friendship between the two countries and Kazakhstan’s support for the Afghan people. The total value of the aid package was not disclosed.

A delegation led by Kazakhstan’s Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin is expected to travel to Kabul early next week. The visit...

A new working group was established in Kazakhstan; its sole task is to develop a draft law on non-governmental organizations (NGOs), as announced by the Ministry of Culture’s decree, available on its website. The law on foreign agents was previously proposed by MP Irina Smirnova.

The task force includes 38 individuals, including Vice Minister Ayzada Kurmanova, President of the Civil Alliance of Kazakhstan Banu Nurgaziyeva, MPs, lawyers, public figures, etc. However, the group doesn’t include MP Irina Smirnova, who came up with the idea of the foreign agent law in Kazakhstan.

During a Mazhilis (lower chamber of parliament) meeting, she...

Spend your weekends in May unwinding with family or taking a short adventure. To help you make the most of the upcoming holidays, we’ve rounded up some of the most popular travel routes for the May holidays in Kazakhstan.

Turkestan

Boguty Mountains (Red Mountains)

Train Tour: Cities of the Great Silk Road

Charyn Canyon

Bektau Ata

May 2025 holiday schedule:

Weekend...

Kazakhstani startup SHAI has raised $1 million in investment from entrepreneur and investor Ruslan Adilbaev, the main stakeholder of the Uzbek AVO Bank, as reported by Astana Hub.

SHAI is a platform offering businesses tools they can use for the creation of AI agents and digital assistants to automate their routine processes, reduce potential errors, boost security and minimize the risk of corporate information leakage.

The startup plans to use the investment as leverage to further develop its IT products and expand its business to new markets. Since the end of 2024, the startup has successfully implemented more than ten...

Air Astana, a Kazakhstan airline renowned for the best service and best onboard products, has presented a new onboard menu for business class. It was developed by Ruslan Zakirov, the chef of Auyl, a neo-nomad cuisine restaurant with one of the best designs in the world, according to Prix Versailles. As a result of this collaboration, VIP passengers will be served traditional Kazakh food reinterpreted for a modern palate.

New menu for Air Astana VIP passengers

«Would you like horse tartare or khoshan (manti with pumpkin and beef)? And how would you like to have your samsa with horse meat...