Kazakhstan’s brewing crisis
Violence in the country’s energy patch and haziness about who will be replacing its ageing dictator are exacerbating the pain of the oil-price collapse
KAZAKHSTAN is in a state of flux. The central Asian state, which holds the world's 11th largest oil reserves, was the scene of another violent insurrection in June. The government first blamed the incident - which claimed almost two dozen lives in the country's oil belt - on Islamist foreigners out to destablise the country. Then it said it was an attempted coup by a local businessman. Either way, it's a sign of wider problems. A group of young men attacked two firearm shops on 5 June in Aktobe, located 100km from the Russian border, and tried to carry out an attack on a military base to seize arms. Thirteen attackers, five police officers and three soldiers were killed in gunfights. Authori
Also in this section
22 April 2026
The failure of OMV Petrom’s keenly watched exploration campaign at Bulgaria’s Han Asparuh block highlights the Black Sea’s uneven track record, despite major successes like Neptun Deep and Sakarya
22 April 2026
Sustained strikes on ports, terminals and refineries are testing the resilience of Russia’s oil export system, yet rapid repairs, rerouting and surging prices mean the campaign has yet to deliver a decisive blow
21 April 2026
After overcoming a COVID-induced demand collapse with several years of successful market management, geopolitical events have conspired to provide the pact’s biggest test to date
21 April 2026
The regime’s policy of using nuclear ambiguity as a deterrent may have failed but it has realised it has other cards to play, while its neighbours are reappraising their approach to security
