The court of the Republic of Kazakhstan has ruled to deport 16-year-old Russian teenager Timur Turkov, who fled Russia on foot due to his opposition to war. This was reported by The Insider on Monday, December 15. According to "Uralskaya Nedelya," Turkov had spent the last three months at a social center for children in Uralsk city.
A Harsh Verdict
A video published by "Uralskaya Nedelya" features the teenager stating that the court session took place on December 5 at the “City Court No. 2” in Uralsk, and a decision to forcibly return him to Russia was made on December 8.
- The Charges: The court found Timur Turkov guilty of illegally crossing the border.
- The Penalty: He was banned from entering Kazakhstan for five years. The court's decision also stipulates that the teenager must serve an additional six months of "freedom restriction" in Russia.
The publication "Mediazona" clarified that Turkov's case was reviewed by the Inter-District Court specializing in juvenile cases in the West Kazakhstan region.
Fleeing War Propaganda
The “Simply Journalism” project writes that Timur Turkov lived with his grandparents in the village of Letka, Komi Republic. His father had left the family, and his mother had passed away three years ago due to complications from COVID-19. In the summer of 2025, after graduating from ninth grade, the teenager made a firm decision to leave Russia. Turkov said that his decision was driven by "war propaganda."
Timur Turkov: “Schools in Russia are becoming militarized. At our school, senior students were even involved in the funerals of soldiers who died in the Russia–Ukraine war. From our village, 11 or 12 people returned dead, while five disappeared without a trace.”
The teenager expressed fears for his safety if he were to return to Russia because of his political views. “Everything in Russia is being restricted: free and independent media are being limited, and total control over the population is being implemented,” he added as a further concern.
Crossing the Border on Foot
According to "Uralskaya Nedelya," Turkov fled from the Komi Republic to Kazakhstan by hitchhiking in September this year. His goal was to "seek asylum due to disagreement with Russia’s political course and fear of being sent to war once he turned 18."
He crossed the border on foot near the 658th border mark on the night of September 12. According to the teenager, he covered approximately 17 kilometers overnight, collapsing at one point from exhaustion and dehydration.
Later, Kazakh border guards found Turkov and brought him to a border checkpoint. Representatives from the Russian consulate, the Federal Security Service (FSB) of Russia, and even a school psychologist from a nearby Russian settlement arrived at the checkpoint. Turkov told journalists that he was also interrogated by a Russian FSB colonel. Subsequently, the teenager was placed in a children’s social services center.
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