One year ago, Kazakh blogger and political refugee Aydos Sadykov was assassinated in Ukraine. Now, the preliminary investigation into the murder has stalled due to a lack of cooperation from Kazakh authorities. The murder suspects are still wanted by Ukraine, the masterminds remain unidentified, and the journalist’s family continues to face threats. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) investigated the persistent impunity for this horrific crime and urges Kazakhstan to fully cooperate with Ukraine to shed light on the case.
« I’m a journalist, not a politician. I just want Aydos’s killers to be brought to justice, » Kazakh journalist and political refugee in Ukraine Nataliia Sadykova asserted to RSF. On 18 June 2024, her husband, Aydos Sadykov, with whom she co-founded BASE, a YouTube channel investigating elite corruption in Kazakhstan, was shot dead in broad daylight on a street in Kyiv. He fell into a coma and died two weeks later in hospital. Justice remains elusive as the Kazakh suspects identified by Ukrainian authorities are still at large, Kazakhstan has stayed silent, and Nataliia Sadykova continues to be subjected to severe online harassment.
“RSF pays tribute to Aydos Sadykov, a symbol of Kazakh independent journalism, assassinated in Ukraine in an act as cowardly as it was heinous. This crime must not go unpunished. Kazakhstan has a duty to clarify the facts and fully cooperate with the ongoing Ukrainian preliminary investigation to identify, arrest, and prosecute the perpetrators and those behind the murder. Sadykov’s wife Nataliia Sadykova, also a journalist, deserves answers, and the threats against her must end. RSF calls on the Ukrainian authorities to ensure her safety. »
Pauline Maufrais
RSF Regional Officer for Ukraine
Longstanding, ongoing pressure
With over one million subscribers and nearly 100 million views, BASE is a pillar of independent Kazakh media. The outlet’s investigations into abuses committed by the elite stand out in a media environment dominated by pro-government outlets. Yet Sadykov couple’s sharp journalism came with risks and, in 2014, they took refuge in Ukraine following defamation charges against Nataliia Sadykova.
Exile did not shield the two from threats. In March 2023, Aydos revealed that he had been approached in Kyiv by a man Aydos Sadykov claimed was a representative of the Kazakh intelligence (KNB). The individual offered 5,000 USD on behalf of Gadzhi Gadzhiev, a Dagestani businessman who made his fortune in Kazakhstan, asking Aydos to delete BASE video about him. In October 2023, Kazakh authorities placed the couple on a wanted list for “inciting hatred.” Around the same time, the couple discovered an Airtag on their car, suggesting they were under surveillance.
They were also targeted online. On 15 May 2024, just over a month before the murder, a Telegram account named Hack_Base was created and registered in Russia with the sole mission of attacking the Sadykovs. Over one month, it posted 378 messages — insults and threats — to around 1,200 subscribers. Its posts were shared by large Telegram channels, such as Boudanbay – Kazakhstan and Central Asia, a channel run by pro-Kremlin blogger Anton Budarov; North Kazakh, which claims to fight Nazism, corrupt media Western propaganda, all hallmark topics of pro-Kremlin propaganda outlets —; and AsiaToday, an anonymous channel registered in Russia that has called the Sadykovs “American sellouts.”
“These channels are run by Kazakh security services,” says Irina Petrushova, editor-in-chief of independent Kazakh outlet Respublika, who has been investigating the murder for over a year. “They activate whenever criticism of the government appears.” Disturbingly, the last message from Hack_Base was published the day before the murder, directly threatening Nataliia. And just a few hours after the attack, the Boudanbay channel posted: “The ‘BASE’ project comes to an end, and so does ‘Hack_Base’ — for now. Warm greetings to Nataliia! Be careful. Take care of yourself — and your children. We live in dangerous times.”
Despite the immense pressure, the couple never stopped working. On the day of Aydos’s death, BASE had posted a video titled “The President of Kazakhstan Has Become a Puppet of Russian Influence Agents.”
A carefully orchestrated attack
On 18 June 2024, as the Sadykov arrived at their home in Kyiv by car, a man approached and fired at Aydos — who was driving — with a silenced gun, aiming at his head. The journalist fell into a coma and died in hospital on 2 July.
That same day, a preliminary investigation was opened in Ukraine for “attempted murder,” which was later reclassified as “premeditated murder ordered and plotted by a group.” On 20 June, two Kazakh nationals were identified as suspects: Altay Zhakanbayev and Meiram Karataev. Meiram Karataev, a former police sniper, may still be affiliated with a special unit of Kazakhstan’s National Security Committee (KNB), according to Radio Azattyk ( the Kazakh branch of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty). Zhakanbayev is also suspected of “being a foreign intelligence agent”, said Nataliia Sadykova, who has been doggedly investigating her husband’s murder.
The two suspects’ trip to Ukraine is documented, according to RSF information. The suspects entered Ukraine via Poland on 2 June and quickly rented an apartment near the Sadykovs’ home in Kyiv in order to monitor them. They bought the murder weapon in Ukraine. Altay Zhakanbayev, who had visited Ukraine six times between 2019 and 2023, purchased the car, used a false identity to rent the apartment and pay for SIM cards and burner phones. Meiram Karataev, the shooter, kept a low profile. After the attack, the men disposed of the weapon in Kyiv and fled toward Moldova, crossing the border that night. Once in the Moldovan capital of Chisinau, they checked in for a flight to Turkey. Ukraine issued international warrants for their arrest on 21 June.
An investigation blocked by Kazakhstan
The failure to locate these suspects has stalled Ukraine’s investigation into the murder. Altay Zhakanbayev resurfaced in Kazakhstan and reportedly turned himself in to police on 21 June. Authorities released him and banning him from leaving the country – yet his exact location is unknown. According to Kyiv’s prosecutor’s office, Ukraine’s extradition request “was refused by Kazakhstan,”, despite a 2018 bilateral extradition agreement. Karataev never boarded the Turkey-bound flight, according to the independent Kazakh outlet Respublika, and his exact whereabouts remain unknown.
Ukraine submitted three mutual legal assistance requests to Kazakhstan: “One was partially executed, one refused, and the third has yet to be answered,” Kyiv’s prosecutor told RSF, despite Kazakhstan’s initial pledge to cooperate. The Kazakh prosecutor’s office claimed a preliminary investigation is underway but declined to disclose details. Kazakhstan told Ukraine it lacked sufficient evidence to interrogate the suspects. However, Ukrainian prosecutors say their guilt is “fully proven,” notably supported by video footage and witness testimonies.
The masterminds behind the murder remain unknown. Nataliia Sadykova believes the assassination order came “from the top of the state” and suspects multiple individuals. Gadzhi Gadzhiev’s name resurfaced — the same businessman who allegedly sent an envoy in 2023 to have a video deleted. Ukraine has officially requested that Kazakhstan interrogate him regarding his ties to the Sadykovs and the killers, but has received no response. In a YouTube video commemorating her husband’s death posted on 18 June 2025, Nataliia mentioned a new suspect: Artur Murzakulov, a KNB member suspected by her of spying on the Sadykov family. The murder of Aydos Sadykov remains a “taboo” subject in Kazakhstan, says Irina Petrushova. “Most media pretend nothing happened.” According to her, censorship orders “come from the top.”
The harassment campaign against Nataliia Sadykova
Following her husband’s death, Nataliia, her lawyer, and Kazakh journalists covering the case were all targeted by anonymous calls, messages, and phishing attempts. Although it is impossible to directly link some of these attacks to the murder, some messages clearly refer to it, describing the killers as “great” and praising President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
This continued harassment is organised. RSF found the campaign was orchestrated in two waves. First, attackers repeatedly attempted to compromise Nataliia’s accounts via phishing emails spoofing Google support using the domain gogle(.)com — a technique called “typosquatting” that deliberately adds a typo to the domain name of a well-known company to trick victims. In 2024, the attackers allegedly used the paid services of Void Balaur — a cyber-mercenary group suspected of ties to the Russian government — a use confirmed by cybersecurity firm Sekoia.io. In parallel, Nataliia was harassed via Telegram and WhatsApp by numbers from Kazakhstan and Russia. One such number used the Kazakh Interior Ministry’s logo as its WhatsApp profile picture. The attackers organised a second phishing wave in 2025 using a different service, though the tactics were nearly identical.
Despite the threats, Nataliia Sadykova continues her journalistic work, determined to ensure justice. “Meanwhile, the killers remain free,” she told RSF bitterly.
If you have any information regarding Aydos Sadykov’s case, you can contact RSF securely at: ua-investigation@rsfsecure.org.
