Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Tuesday, Aug 05, 2025

‘I have not gone anywhere’: former Kazakh leader denies fleeing country

‘I have not gone anywhere’: former Kazakh leader denies fleeing country

Nursultan Nazarbayev says he is taking ‘deserved rest’ in four-minute video released on Tuesday
Kazakhstan’s former president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, has made his first appearance since unrest broke out in the country earlier this month, in a stilted video in which he denied reports that he had fled the country, or that there was a split in the country’s elites.

Instead, Nazarbayev insisted, he had merely been having “a deserved rest”.

Nazarbayev ruled Kazakhstan from independence in 1991 until 2019. When he stepped down, he handpicked his successor, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and retained the honorific title “Leader of the Nation”. He was also the head of the country’s security council until he was removed by Tokayev during the unrest, which official figures say killed 225 people.

In the intervening days, many of Nazarbayev’s relatives have been removed from key positions, and the former prime minister and head of the security services was arrested on treason charges. There have been rumours that members of Nazarbayev’s circle may have used the unrest as a pretext to make a power grab, something Tokayev was able to stymie by persuading a Russia-led military alliance to introduce troops into the country.

“Furious negotiations are under way with Tokayev about the redistribution of assets, spoils and rents,” a former western official who is well connected in Kazakhstan told the Guardian over the weekend.

Nazarbayev’s complete absence from view during these days had prompted rumours he had fled the country, was under house arrest or maybe even dead.

The four-and-a-half minute video released on Tuesday suggests Nazarbayev is still alive, but otherwise answers few questions. Sitting at a desk that is empty save for a gold clock, and with four Kazakh flags behind him, Nazarbayev played down talk of a battle for influence.

“There is no conflict or standoff in the elite. Rumours about this are absolutely unfounded,” said Nazarbayev.

“In 2019 I handed over my powers to president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and since then I am a pensioner. I am currently taking deserved rest in the capital of Kazakhstan and I have not gone anywhere,” he added.

Nazarbayev’s whereabouts have been the subject of much speculation and has fuelled jokes and memes in Kazakhstan.

The capital city, Astana, was renamed Nur-Sultan in 2019, in Nazarbayev’s honour, and over three decades a huge personality cult built up around him. Early signs are that a newly emboldened Tokayev will move to dismantle elements of the personality cult, but so far he has made no direct reference to Nazarbayev, preferring silence and oblique criticisms of the people close to his former benefactor who became rich.

“Negotiations are ongoing, but it is clear the Nazarbayev era is over,” Yermukhamet Yertysbayev, a former minister and adviser to Nazarbayev, told the Guardian over the weekend.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Qatar Airways Clears Backlog of Passengers Following Missile Threats
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
×