Kazakhstan Denies Entry to Four Russian Duma Deputies
Kazakhstan Bars Entry to Russian Officials Over Hostile Remarks
Bishkek, 03 May 2025 – Kazakhstan has officially prohibited entry to four current members of Russia’s State Duma and one former MP, according to reports from Deutsche Welle citing a government source. This move follows accusations against these individuals for publicly disseminating offensive statements about Kazakhstan and its leadership.
The blacklisted officials include Pyotr Tolstoy, Deputy Speaker of the State Duma; Vyacheslav Nikonov, First Deputy Chairman of the International Affairs Committee; and deputies Yevgeny Fyodorov and Konstantin Zatulin, all affiliated with the United Russia party. Additionally, Yevgeny Primakov, head of Rossotrudnichestvo, is included on the list.
The controversy began when Pyotr Tolstoy made remarks suggesting that Kazakhstan could be “Russia’s next problem” after Ukraine. He also referred to Almaty as “Verny,” a city founded by Russians, and accused Kazakhstan of attempting to “invent its own history” to distance itself from Russia.
Supporting these claims, Vyacheslav Nikonov asserted on Russian national television that “Kazakhstan simply did not exist,” characterizing its modern territory as a “gift from Russia and the USSR.” Yevgeny Fyodorov echoed this sentiment, arguing that Russia has the right to claim certain territories from Kazakhstan.
In a related incident, political analyst Andrey Grozin was also denied entry into Kazakhstan recently. Grozin, who had intended to attend a conference in Astana, was informed of the ban upon his arrival at passport control, with no official reason provided.
This escalation of rhetoric and diplomatic tensions reflects the complex relationship between Kazakhstan and Russia, further complicating regional dynamics.
