Kazakhstan detains five military officials after 14 soldiers die in Caspian drill

October 1, 2026 at 06:26 PM2 min

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Kazakhstan detained five military officials over the deaths of 14 servicemen swept out to sea during the Caspian Defense exercise on September 24. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev dismissed Defense Minister Dauren Kosanov and appointed Aidos Myrzakhmetov as his replacement. The detentions follow public criticism of how authorities informed relatives of the deceased.

Key Facts

Five military officials were detained for negligence after 14 servicemen died during the Caspian Defense exercise on September 24.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev dismissed Defense Minister Dauren Kosanov, who had held the post for just over 15 months, and appointed Aidos Myrzakhmetov.
A total of 17 servicemen were swept out to sea by strong winds; three were rescued and 14 bodies were recovered over the following days.
Tokayev declared a national day of mourning on September 25 for the deceased soldiers.
Relatives gathered outside the Aktau morgue demanding names of the dead, and military personnel later read out the names of identified servicemen, most under age 25.

The Detentions

Five officials from the Ministry of Defense were detained and placed under investigation for their role in the accident. Those detained include the chief of staff working with the naval forces, two military unit commanders, and a naval infantry company commander. Kazakh police allege the men are to blame for the accident due to negligence of service and violation of navigation rules. The detentions were announced in the week following the September 24 tragedy.

The Accident

The tragedy took place on September 24 during the 2026 Caspian Defense exercise in southwestern Kazakhstan. According to the Kazakh Ministry of Defense, 17 servicemen were swept out to sea during a naval exercise due to a sudden deterioration in weather, including strong winds. Rescue teams saved three servicemen, while the bodies of the remaining 14 were recovered over the following days. Most of the identified servicemen were under the age of 25.

Government Response

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev gave his condolences to the affected families and declared a day of mourning observed on September 25. Days later, Tokayev dismissed Defense Minister Dauren Kosanov, who had been in the post just over 15 months. Aidos Myrzakhmetov, former commander of special operation forces, was appointed as the new defense minister. The dismissals followed public criticism over how authorities communicated the tragedy to relatives of the deceased.