Our People > Dmitry Pokidaev

Dmitry Pokidaev

Journalist

Dmitry Pokidaev is a journalist based in Astana, Kazakhstan, with experience at some of the country's top media outlets. Before his career in journalism, Pokidaev worked as an academic, teaching Russian language and literature.

Articles

Asian Games

Kazakhstan’s Yasmina Toxanbayeva Stripped of Asian Games Gold Over Shoes

Kazakhstan’s Yasmina Toxanbayeva crossed the line first in the women’s marathon race walk at the Asian Games in Japan but was later disqualified over her footwear. The Kazakhstan Athletics Federation is challenging the decision, which followed a finding that her shoe model was not on World Athletics’ approved list. She completed the 42.195-kilometer race at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya on September 27 in 3 hours, 22 minutes, and 20 seconds. China’s Danzengquzong finished nearly four minutes behind in 3:26:09, while her compatriot Ma Li recorded 3:32:26. According to Kazakhstan’s National Olympic Committee, officials checked the leading finishers’ shoes for compliance with World Athletics regulations. The model worn by Toxanbayeva was not on the approved list. Photographs and information about the footwear were sent to World Athletics, and the medal ceremony was postponed pending a ruling. World Athletics determined that the shoes did not meet its requirements. The Olympic Council of Asia confirmed her disqualification on September 28. The revised standings awarded Danzengquzong gold, Ma Li silver, and Japan’s Yukiko Umeno, who had initially finished fourth, bronze. The Kazakhstan Athletics Federation challenged the decision. It said Toxanbayeva had competed in ASICS shoes, but acknowledged that the specific model she wore was not on the World Athletics approved list. The federation also said her shoes had been inspected before the race and she had been cleared to start. The federation said it had filed a protest and a complaint against the decision and would continue to defend Toxanbayeva’s interests. It also acknowledged its own responsibility for ensuring compliance with competition regulations and technical requirements. World Athletics, the international governing body for track and field, maintains a database of shoes approved for competition. Athletes must use an approved model for the relevant discipline. Approval of other shoes made by the same manufacturer does not make an unlisted model eligible. The current Athletic Shoe Regulations were approved on March 19, 2026, and took effect on April 20. A similar footwear controversy had already affected the medal standings at the current Asian Games. Iranian heptathlete Fatemeh Mohitizadeh was disqualified after officials ruled that the shoes she used during the long jump did not comply with World Athletics regulations. Her disqualification moved Kazakhstan’s Alina Chistyakova from fourth to third, giving her the bronze medal. The Kazakhstan Athletics Federation said that regardless of the outcome of its challenge, it would pay Toxanbayeva the prize money she would have received for winning the event from its own funds. “For us, Yasmina is the champion. The Federation will continue to support her,” it said. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kazakh cyclist Alexey Lutsenko won the sixth Asian Games gold medal of his career at Aichi-Nagoya, setting a national record for the most Asian Games titles won by a Kazakh athlete.

1 week ago

Kazakhstan’s Timur Turlov Elected FIDE President

Timur Turlov, founder and CEO of Freedom Holding Corp. and president of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, has been elected president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE). At 38, he became the second-youngest person to lead FIDE and the first representative of Kazakhstan to hold the position. The election took place on September 26 in Samarkand during the FIDE General Assembly. Turlov defeated German businessman Wadim Rosenstein in the second round by 110 votes to 85. In the first round, Turlov received 96 votes and Rosenstein 76; a third German candidate, Jan Henric Buettner, received 20. Former world champion Viswanathan Anand was his running mate for deputy president. Turlov became FIDE’s eighth president, succeeding Arkady Dvorkovich, a former Russian deputy prime minister who led the organization for two terms from 2018 to 2026. “We are all one family and we will continue working as one. This is a great responsibility and a vote for a better future of our sport,” Turlov said after the results were announced. Born in 1987, Turlov has headed the Kazakhstan Chess Federation since January 2023. He chairs the Turkic Chess Association, which brings together the chess federations of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan. He is also the founding president of the International School Chess Federation, established in September 2024. Turlov was already a prominent figure in international chess as a major sponsor. According to FIDE, Freedom Holding Corp. allocated around $30 million to chess development in Kazakhstan over three years and supported more than 20 major international FIDE tournaments. Earlier in September, the company became General Partner of the 2026 FIDE World Championship Match. Freedom Holding Corp. is a Nasdaq-listed financial services group whose businesses include brokerage, banking, insurance, telecommunications, and digital services. Turlov founded the business in 2008, and its shares began trading on Nasdaq in 2019. According to FIDE, its market capitalization was approaching $11 billion at the time of the election. Turlov’s election coincided with major results for Central Asian teams at the Olympiad. Uzbekistan won the Open section in Samarkand after defeating Ukraine 2.5-1.5 in the final round. It was the Uzbek team’s second Olympiad gold after its victory in Chennai in 2022. India took silver and Germany bronze. Turlov’s election coincided with further success for Central Asian chess, as Uzbekistan won the open competition in Samarkand after defeating Ukraine 2.5-1.5 in the final round. It was the Uzbek team’s second Olympiad gold after its victory in Chennai in 2022. India took silver and Germany bronze. In the women’s competition, China took gold, while Kazakhstan won silver for the second consecutive Olympiad after a 2-2 draw with Poland in the final round. Kazakhstani player Elnaz Kaliakhmet won individual gold on board four, and India took bronze.

1 week ago

Military Deaths

Kazakhstan Orders Military Overhaul After 14 Die in Caspian Drills

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has replaced the country’s defense minister, three days after 14 servicemen were killed during military exercises in the Caspian Sea. Tokayev appointed Aidos Myrzakhmetov to lead the ministry, ordered a broad inspection of the Defense Ministry, and gave officials ten days to prepare a military reform plan. Dauren Kosanov, who had held the role since June 2025, was dismissed on September 27. On the same day, Tokayev appointed Myrzakhmetov and introduced him at a meeting of senior Defense Ministry officials. Myrzakhmetov, 45, is a career officer who spent much of his career in the State Guard Service before being appointed commander of the Armed Forces’ Special Operations Forces in January 2024. He graduated from the National Defense University in 2025 and holds the rank of major general. [caption id="attachment_57120" align="aligncenter" width="750"] New Defense Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan meets with the President; image: Akorda[/caption] Political analyst Adil Seifullin said the appointment appeared to continue a practice of moving officers with State Guard Service experience into senior government roles where officials face difficult decisions. He said Myrzakhmetov’s combination of experience in the service and direct command of the Special Operations Forces may have been among the factors behind his selection. Tokayev set several priorities for the new minister, including reassessing the effectiveness of military spending, overhauling the command system, accelerating digitalization, and using technology instead of personnel for dangerous tasks where possible. He also said appointments to command positions should be based on experience and professional qualifications “rather than the principle of personal loyalty.” “Our army is stuck in the last century,” Tokayev said, calling for the command system to be rebuilt using international experience. The Security Council staff and Defense Ministry have ten days to prepare a phased military reform plan, which is due to be considered at a Security Council meeting in the second half of October. Tokayev specifically instructed officials not to produce another set of lengthy concepts and road maps, but to propose concrete measures. The overhaul follows the deaths of 14 servicemen during the Khazar Qorgany 2026 exercises in the Mangystau region on September 24. Seventeen servicemen were swept into the sea during a personnel landing operation from the Qaisar boat. Three were rescued, and 14 died. September 25 was declared a day of national mourning in Kazakhstan. The Interior Ministry’s military investigative department opened a criminal case over suspected negligence and violations of navigation rules. Five members of the military command were subsequently detained as suspects. These included the chief of staff and first deputy commander-in-chief of the Naval Forces, two military unit commanders, a Marine Corps company commander, and the commander of the boat. The Times of Central Asia previously reported on the tragedy and investigation, as well as the response of victims’ relatives. The tragedy also raised questions about how the landing operation itself was organized. Azerbaijani military expert and reserve colonel Shair Ramaldanov said that, as he understood it, the Qaisar normally carried a crew of four...

1 week ago

Kazakhstan’s Solidcore to Invest $25 Million in Japan Gold Exploration

Solidcore Resources, a leading Kazakhstan-based gold producer, is expanding into exploration in Japan. The company will invest $25 million in gold exploration across five project areas on the islands of Hokkaido and Kyushu, with the option to acquire interests of up to 80% in individual projects if exploration proves successful. Solidcore has partnered with Canada-based Japan Gold Corp., a company focused on mineral exploration in Japan. It has also acquired an 18.81% stake in Japan Gold for $6.85 million. If it exercises warrants allowing it to buy additional shares, its interest could rise to 19.9% on a partially diluted basis. Solidcore produces gold in Kazakhstan, and its shares are traded on the Astana International Exchange. In 2025, the company produced 395,000 ounces of gold equivalent, 19% less than a year earlier. Higher gold prices nevertheless pushed revenue up 13% to $1.5 billion. The partnership covers Hakuryu, Bajo, Mizobe, Ryuo, and Aibetsu, five of Japan Gold’s project areas. Three are on Hokkaido and two on Kyushu. Several are close to historic gold mines, while much of the surrounding territory remains underexplored using modern methods. At Hakuryu, drilling has already identified zones of high-grade gold mineralization. Geophysical surveys at Bajo detected anomalies interpreted as possible extensions of mineralized structures, with strike lengths of more than one kilometer. Mizobe lies in an area with geology similar to Hishikari, Japan’s largest commercially operating gold mine, which produced around 9 million ounces of gold between 1985 and 2025. Ryuo and Aibetsu include areas of historic mining. The Tokusei mine within Aibetsu produced 39,000 ounces of gold and 473,000 ounces of silver between 1930 and 1942. Solidcore CEO Vitaly Nesis said the company was attracted by the potential for large-scale gold discoveries and Japan’s relatively limited modern exploration. “Japan Gold’s license portfolio stands out to us. It has the makings of a large-scale, generational gold district with a distinctive style of geology that we have been historically successfully working with, in a stable, well-regulated, developed and notably under-explored jurisdiction,” Nesis said. Japan Gold holds mineral rights covering more than 3,000 square kilometers. In addition to the five project areas included in the agreement, it retains another 22 projects. The $25 million will fund drilling and other exploration work over three years rather than the purchase of developed deposits. After completing the program, Solidcore will be able to select the most promising areas and earn a 49% direct interest in one or more of them. If further studies indicate that mining could be economically viable, Solidcore will have the option to increase its interest first to 70% and then to 80%. To do so, it will have to fund a pre-feasibility study and then a bankable feasibility study for each selected project. Japan Gold Chairman and CEO John Proust said Solidcore’s strategy of expanding its reserves through geographic diversification fits with his company’s work building an exploration portfolio in Japan. The deal marks an overseas expansion for a major Kazakhstan-based gold producer. Within Kazakhstan, exploration and reassessment...

2 weeks ago

Cycling

Alexey Lutsenko Makes Asian Games History With Sixth Gold

Kazakhstani cyclist Alexey Lutsenko won the men’s road race at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, becoming his country’s most successful athlete in Asian Games history. The victory gave the 34-year-old his sixth Asian Games gold medal as he prepares to end his professional career. On September 23, Lutsenko completed the 160.5-kilometer race in 4 hours, 13 minutes, and 11 seconds. His teammate Yevgeniy Fedorov finished second, 1 minute and 58 seconds behind. Another Kazakhstani rider, Nicolas Vinokurov, the son of Olympic champion Alexander Vinokurov, helped control the race for the team and finished seventh. His second gold at the current Games came on September 20, when he won the individual time trial for the fourth consecutive Games, a discipline in which riders race individually against the clock. Lutsenko covered the 32.4-kilometer course in 41 minutes, 24.05 seconds, beating silver medalist Shunsuke Imamura of Japan by more than a minute and a half. Before the Games in Japan, Lutsenko had won four Asian Games gold medals. He won the individual time trial in 2014, 2018, and 2022, and also took gold in the road race in Jakarta in 2018. His fifth gold brought him level with Kazakhstan’s previous record holder, canoeist Konstantin Negodyayev, who won three titles at the 1994 Asian Games in Hiroshima and two more at the 1998 Games in Bangkok. His sixth victory put Lutsenko alone at the top. “I did my job,” Lutsenko said after the race. “The Asian Games, like the Olympics, take place once every four years. As a national team athlete, I prepared responsibly for these events and didn’t think about any records. I did my maximum and brought a medal to the country. That is what matters most. I’m not such a young rider anymore, because cycling is now increasingly focused on youth. A new generation is coming through. But I’m glad they believed in me, gave me a chance, and I fully justified their trust.” Lutsenko plans to retire in the near future. He said he had made the decision at the end of last year. “Time passes. Cycling is changing. Young riders are coming through and producing strong results from an early age. I have done my maximum. Six Asian Games gold medals, stage wins at the biggest Grand Tours. I am proud of what I have done over 15 years in professional sport. Now I have won two gold medals. And this is the best moment to end my career in the near future,” he said. During his professional career, Lutsenko has won stages at two of cycling’s three Grand Tours, the sport’s most prestigious stage races: the Vuelta a España in 2017 and the Tour de France in 2020. By the evening of September 23, Kazakhstan was fourth in the medal standings with seven gold, four silver, and eight bronze medals, behind China, Japan, and South Korea. All five Central Asian countries had won medals at the Aichi-Nagoya Games. Tajikistan had won two gold medals and Uzbekistan...

2 weeks ago

Oil and Gas

Kazakhstan to Auction 56 Oil and Gas Blocks

Kazakhstan will auction 56 oil and gas blocks across seven regions, offering investors a new round of exploration and production rights beyond its largest operating fields. The auction will take place on December 25, 2026, on the e-Qazyna platform, with applications accepted through November 18. The December round will take the number of blocks offered in 2026 to 112. December 25 is a normal working day in Kazakhstan, although the date coincides with Christmas Day in many countries whose energy companies are potential investors. The 56 blocks are spread across seven regions, including Kazakhstan’s main western oil-producing areas as well as Ulytau, Kostanay, and Kyzylorda. Most are being offered for exploration and subsequent production, while four are available directly for hydrocarbon production. Kazakhstan is already a major oil producer. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the country held around 30 billion barrels of proved oil reserves as of January 1, 2025, while production of petroleum and other liquids averaged an estimated 1.9 million barrels per day in 2024. Tengiz, Kashagan, and Karachaganak are the country's primary sources of oil production. Under the auction terms, companies securing rights to the new blocks must carry out geological exploration and drilling within specified time frames. An exploration project must be prepared within one year after the contract is signed, required 2D seismic surveys must be completed within three years, and at least one well must be drilled within four years where stipulated by the terms of the individual block. During production, companies must annually allocate an amount equal to 1% of the previous year's production costs to training Kazakhstani specialists and another 1% to research and development in Kazakhstan. A further 1% of investment under the contract must go toward regional development and local infrastructure. Minimum local-content requirements are 70% for works and services and 30% for goods. Kazakhstani citizens must account for at least 80% of managers and their deputies, 90% of department heads, and all staff classified as specialists or skilled workers. For fields with initial geological reserves exceeding 100 million tons of oil or 50 billion cubic meters of gas, additional requirements apply. Contracts must include at least one commitment to establish or modernize processing facilities, supply hydrocarbons for processing in Kazakhstan, or implement another investment or socioeconomic project. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that more than 20 promising oil and gas structures had been identified in the country's Aral Basin.

2 weeks ago

Public Spaces

Kazakhstan Proposes Fines for Unauthorized Graffiti

Kazakhstan is preparing to introduce fines for unauthorized graffiti on public buildings and structures. The Interior Ministry has proposed enshrining a ban in law following a campaign against vandalism and drug-related graffiti. Interior Minister Yerzhan Sadenov presented the proposals on September 21 at a government meeting. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov instructed the Interior Ministry to prepare amendments aimed at “establishing a complete ban on all types of graffiti that damage public places.” A significant part of the police’s current work involves drug-related graffiti: inscriptions advertising drugs and providing sellers’ contact details. According to the Interior Ministry, police and volunteers have removed around 80,000 such inscriptions and drawings. Authorities have opened 81 criminal cases over drug promotion and advertising, with 19 people convicted. Through the digital service “No to Drugs,” citizens have reported another 150 violations to the police. The Interior Ministry’s proposal, however, goes beyond drug-related graffiti. Sadenov spoke about inscriptions and drawings on public buildings and structures in general. The government used the wording graffiti that “damage public places.” How “damage” is defined in the amendments could determine how authorized street art is treated. In Almaty, Astana, and other cities, murals have long been used to decorate building facades and public spaces. The government materials published so far contain no proposal to prohibit such works. Elsewhere, legislation generally links liability not to graffiti as an art form, but to a lack of authorization and damage to property. In Germany, criminal liability applies, among other things, to unauthorized alterations that substantially and permanently change the appearance of public monuments and works of art. One of the stricter regimes is in Singapore, where the Vandalism Act includes a maximum fine of up to S$2,000 or up to three years in prison. For certain offenses, the law also provides for caning. Kazakhstan’s approach will become clearer once the amendments are published. For now, the Interior Ministry has proposed administrative liability rather than a separate criminal offense for graffiti. The government is also preparing a National Cleanliness Standard. It is expected to include requirements covering the maintenance and landscaping of populated areas, the upkeep of natural areas, environmental education, and volunteer activities. Urban development regulations are also changing. The new Construction Code established the design code as a tool for shaping the appearance of cities and other populated areas. Specialized urban planning organizations have been established in all regions, while regional authorities have approved road maps for urban development for 2026-2027.

2 weeks ago

Kazakhstan AI Training Expands Nationwide as Programs Scale Up

Kazakhstan is expanding a free school for programming and artificial intelligence (AI) to 14 regions as part of a national drive to prepare people to use the technology. Government figures show that more than 100,000 university students have completed advanced AI courses, but evidence of what the training is producing in practice remains limited. Tomorrow School offers adults a free 18-month course in programming and AI. It began operating outside Astana in 2026, and its network now covers 14 regions, with further growth planned across the country. Students need no previous programming experience and learn through practical projects and peer-to-peer instruction. The school currently has 493 students, and according to government figures, 57 participants have already found jobs in the information technology sector. Few published statistics from Kazakhstan’s growing AI-training system report employment outcomes rather than enrollment or course completion. TUMO Astana is a free center for teenagers aged 12 to 18, based on an educational model first developed in Armenia in 2011 and since expanded internationally. TUMO combines self-directed learning with workshops and practical projects in technology and design, including programming, robotics, and generative AI. The center currently has 2,376 active students. By the end of 2026, it plans to increase enrollment to 5,000. The largest enrollment is in AI-Sana, a national program aimed at giving university students AI skills and helping them develop their own technology projects. Students can take courses through Coursera, Huawei ICT Academy, the NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute, and Astana Hub. More than 100,000 students have completed advanced training under the program, receiving more than 703,000 certificates between them. Because participants can complete several courses, the certificate total is much higher than the number enrolled. Of more than 22,000 proposed AI projects, 515 are now being tested or implemented, according to government figures. That total may be more revealing than the certificate count, although the announcement neither describes the work nor identifies where it is taking place. In 2027, organizers plan to help 1,500 student teams develop their projects into technology startups. Kazakhstan’s focus on retraining reflects changes in the labor market. The World Economic Forum estimates that 39% of workers’ existing skills will change or become outdated by 2030, while AI and big data are among the fastest-growing areas of demand. The International Labour Organization cautions against equating the spread of AI with the disappearance of jobs, saying generative AI is more likely to transform jobs by automating some tasks than to replace workers entirely. For more advanced training and research, Kazakhstan has established Qazaq AI Research University (QAIRU). Since September 2026, it has offered two bachelor’s programs, one in AI and Machine Learning and the other in Physical AI, along with graduate programs combining AI with fields including finance, energy, medicine, industry, and public administration. The university has 525 students: 388 undergraduates, 32 master’s students, and 105 participants from national companies in its AI+X Executive MBA program.

2 weeks ago

Mining

Kazakhstan Mining Royalty System Delayed Until 2029

Kazakhstan plans to delay a new mining royalty system until 2029, postponing a reform that would tax raw ore more heavily than metals processed inside the country. The government backed the two-year delay, saying parts of the system still need further work. The royalty regime would apply only to new mining licenses issued from 2027 onward for areas where mining rights have not previously been granted. For example, a company receiving a new license to develop a previously unlicensed copper deposit would come under the royalty system, while an existing copper mine would continue paying the current mineral extraction tax, or MET. The main difference is when and how the tax is calculated. Under MET, tax is charged on minerals extracted from the ground. Under the proposed royalty system, the payment would instead be linked to the sale of the mineral product. This approach is more closely tied to actual sales. More significantly, the tax rate would fall as the mineral is processed further. The Tax Code sets a rate of 13% for ore, 10% for concentrate, and 7% for metals. A miner selling raw ore would therefore face almost twice the royalty rate of a company producing metal, giving businesses an incentive to process more of their output in Kazakhstan. Putting the system into practice has proved more difficult. The government says it still needs to decide how royalties should be calculated on minerals recovered from old tailings and other mining waste, and how the rules should treat expensive new projects and valuable minerals produced alongside a mine’s main commodity. The proposed rules will be tested against mining companies’ financial models before they take effect. The Finance Ministry had previously raised concerns about a rapid transition to royalties. In 2024, the State Revenue Committee estimated that applying rates similar to those used in Western Australia could reduce annual budget revenue by about KZT 270 billion ($606 million), while extending royalties to all subsoil users could result in losses of about KZT 450 billion ($1.01 billion). Those estimates do not apply directly to the much narrower reform now planned, which covers only future licenses in areas where subsoil use rights had not previously been granted. They do, however, help explain the government’s caution over changes to subsoil taxation. The State Revenue Committee says tax payments from more than 7,000 subsoil users, including oil and gas producers, account for around 35% of Kazakhstan’s republican budget revenue. The postponement therefore leaves the main structure of the reform intact but gives the government another two years to decide how it will work in practice. The Times of Central Asia previously examined the arguments surrounding the reform and Kazakhstan’s effort to link mining taxation with greater domestic processing.

3 weeks ago

Sports Education

Kazakh National University of Sports Joins Olympic Studies Network

The Kazakh National University of Sports in Astana says it has become the first university in Central Asia to join a global network of academic Olympic studies centers. It announced the recognition on September 17. The Academic Olympic Studies and Research Centres network connects institutions researching the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement. The university says around 80 such centers operate worldwide. Their work includes teaching, scientific events, and the publication of research. The network is coordinated by the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Studies Centre in Lausanne and provides a forum for cooperation between academics in different countries. The university trains coaches, physical education teachers, sports managers, and other specialists. Its training also extends to staff for rehabilitation centers and organizers of mass sporting events. It is now developing a Center for Olympic Studies, Education and Legacy, which will focus on research into the history, values, and long-term impact of the Olympic Movement. Membership in the international network will allow the Astana center to work with universities and research centers overseas and exchange research and teaching practices, the university said. The university said support from the National Olympic Committee was an important condition for recognition. It is already working with Kazakhstan’s committee on projects involving Olympic education and research. The new center is intended to bring students and lecturers into discussion with researchers and sports professionals, making Olympic studies part of the university’s sports science and education work.

3 weeks ago

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