Kazakh President Qasym-Jomart Toqaev signed a decree appointing Aidos Myrzakhmetov as Minister of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The Akorda announced the move, according to infohub.kz.
"By decree of the Head of State, Myrzakhmetov Aidos Sakenovich has been appointed Minister of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan and relieved of his previous position," the official statement said.
Aidos Myrzakhmetov graduated from the Military Academy of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan in 2002. Over his career, he rose from platoon commander to head of a department in the State Security Service. In January 2024, a presidential decree appointed him Commander of the Special Operations Forces. He has been awarded the Aibyn Order, 2nd degree.
The appointment follows a tragedy during military exercises in the Mangystau Region. Seventeen service members were swept into the Caspian Sea, and 14 of them died. A separate government commission led by Deputy Prime Minister Qanat Bozumbaev is investigating the circumstances.
Five Defense Ministry officers were later detained in connection with the sailors' deaths. The criminal case, opened under articles on negligence and violation of navigation rules, is under special supervision by the Prosecutor General's Office.
The day before, families of the victims received telegrams of condolence from the president, and former Defense Minister Dauren Kosanov met with the sailors' relatives.
Earlier, Kursiv reported that Toqaev had dismissed Defense Minister Dauren Kosanov.