Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stated that military personnel participating in an exercise in the Caspian Sea were not provided with life vests, leading to deaths due to "criminal unprofessionalism" among officers, including generals. He demanded an investigation into who developed the exercise plan and why the Commander-in-Chief of the Naval Forces was absent.

The incident highlights potential safety lapses and command failures within the Kazakh military during training exercises. The President's strong condemnation suggests a serious internal review is likely to follow.