President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has dismissed Deputy Defense Minister Colonel Asker Beisenov following the ongoing investigation into the deaths of 14 servicemen during military exercises in the Caspian Sea.
Sea-news.az reports that the decision was announced by the Press Service of the President of Kazakhstan.
Asker Beisenov had served as Deputy Defense Minister since 2023. By presidential decree, Tatyana Savelyeva has been appointed as the new Deputy Minister of Defense. Earlier on October 7, Savelyeva terminated her mandate as a Kurultai deputy. She previously served as Deputy Minister of Finance and headed the Finance and Budget Committee in the Majilis.
It should be recalled that on September 24, 17 servicemen were swept away by water currents during coastal drills in the Caspian Sea, resulting in 14 fatalities and 3 rescues. According to the presidential press service, 13 criminal cases have been opened regarding the incident. The former Commander-in-Chief of the Naval Forces, his first deputy, and four other Defense Ministry officials have been detained as part of the ongoing investigation, which has already led to the replacement of both the Minister of Defense and the Chief of the General Staff.
