Kazakhstan president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev today signed a decree dismissing defense minister Dauren Kosanov and appointed Aidos Myrzakhmetov, former special operations forces commander, as his replacement.

The move follows an incident on 24/9 when 17 Kazakhstan servicemen were swept out to sea during an exercise in Mangistau province, bordering the Caspian Sea. 14 died, and three were rescued. The incident occurred as the servicemen were exiting a patrol boat in bad weather conditions.

Defense minister Dauren Kosanov in a photo published in 2025. Photo: Axar

Kazakhstan's Interior Ministry announced on 25/9 that officials arrested 5 naval officers, including a deputy commander, on charges of negligence and violating maritime regulations.

Investigators are examining whether these individuals adhered to safety regulations or considered weather conditions, and also the technical condition of the patrol boat during the exercise.

The incident occurred during the Khazar Korgan-2026 naval exercise, which commenced on 22/9. The exercise involved over 500 servicemen from the navy and its subordinate units. Vehicles and personnel from the coast guard, part of the Mangistau provincial border agency, and Kazakhstan's air defense also participated.

Kazakhstan's Defense Ministry stated the main objectives of the exercise were to enhance soldiers' professional training, boost combat readiness, and practice coordination among forces and assets during missions.

The Kazakhstan navy is relatively small, with about 3,000 servicemen stationed in the Caspian Sea. It operates patrol boats and missile boats to protect maritime borders and offshore energy infrastructure.

Pham Giang (Source: Reuters, AP)