Arrest following the Caspian tragedy: Former Commander-in-Chief of Kazakhstan Navy also detained

High-ranking military officials are being held accountable as part of the investigation into the causes of the largest peacetime loss in the history of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan. Qanat Niyazbekov, the former Commander-in-Chief of the country's Navy, has been officially arrested in the case concerning the death of soldiers during military exercises in the Caspian Sea.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev had relieved him of his post just last week and strictly demanded that all individuals responsible for this tragedy be held unconditionally accountable before the law.

17 soldiers swallowed by waves: How did the tragedy happen?

The incident occurred during the large-scale "Caspian Defense – 2026" exercises organized in the Kazakhstani sector of the Caspian Sea:

• Scale of exercises: More than 500 servicemen had been deployed to the military exercises that began on September 22;

• Sharply deteriorating weather: On September 24, a strong storm rose at sea, and due to sharply worsening weather conditions, exactly 17 servicemen were washed out into the sea by giant waves;

• Heavy casualties: As a result of prompt rescue operations, only three soldiers were saved alive, while the remaining 14 servicemen died.

This disaster was recorded as the largest loss during exercises in the history of the modern Kazakh army.

"In general, it is taken into account": The former commander's controversial response and investigation results

Following this event, former Commander-in-Chief Qanat Niyazbekov had provoked public outrage with his vague answers to journalists' questions. Explaining the incident simply by unfavorable weather and waves, to the direct question of whether the whims of nature had been taken into account when planning the exercises, he had replied: "In general, it is taken into account."

However, official inspections showed the opposite:

• Gross shortcomings in preparation: A special inspection commission of the Ministry of Defense of Kazakhstan exposed serious violations of the law and negligence in planning exercises and complying with safety rules;

• 5 officials behind bars: Five high-ranking officials have already been arrested and placed in a detention facility within the framework of this criminal case.

The General Prosecutor's Office and the Military Investigative Department of Kazakhstan are continuing inquiries to give a legal assessment of the actions of every responsible officer regarding the tragedy.