Kazakh radio host fired after calling out ‘Uncle’ Putin and suggesting possible invasion

Kazakhstan, a former Soviet republic, shares the world’s second-longest land border with Russia and, being a member of the Russian-led trade and military bloc, maintains close economic and political ties with Moscow.

It has a large ethnic Russian population and the war in Ukraine has sparked heated online debate between supporters of both sides.

Following a public outcry, Europa Plus Kazakhstan radio station distanced itself from host Lyubov Panova’s Facebook comments and then, on Monday, said his contract had been terminated.

Panova did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“Vova” is an affectionate shortening of “Vladimir” and Panova commented in response to another Facebook user’s criticism of Russia and Putin’s support.

Deputy Prosecutor General Bulat Dembayev issued a statement warning social media users against making comments that call on Kazakhs to engage in the Russo-Ukraine conflict or incite ethnic hatred.

“In addition, some social network users, including Kazakh citizens … publish separatist slogans that refer to the territorial integrity of our country,” he warned, adding that such actions are a crime.

Kazakhstan has refrained from criticizing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, although President Kasim-Jomart Tokayev said this month that all countries should strictly adhere to the norms and principles of the UN Charter.

And the deputy foreign minister told a German newspaper that companies leaving Russia because of the war in Ukraine were welcome to move production to Kazakhstan, adding that Kazakhstan would not want to be on the wrong side of a new “iron curtain”. .

Russia called its action in Ukraine a “special military operation” to disarm and “deny” its neighbor. Kyiv and the West consider this an excuse for an unprovoked attack.

This story has been published without modification in text from a wire agency feed.