The Kazakh Embassy in Moscow lowered its flags to half-mast as a sign of mourning for the dead sailors

The Kazakh Embassy in Moscow lowered the national flag as a sign of mourning for 14 sailors who died during exercises in the Caspian Sea, a RIA Novosti correspondent reports.

Muscovites leave flowers at the main entrance to the diplomatic mission - white chrysanthemums lie near the fence.

On Friday, a national day of mourning was declared in Kazakhstan in connection with the death of military personnel.

On Thursday, during the Caspian Defense 2026 exercise in the Mangistau region on the Caspian coast, due to a sharp deterioration in the weather, 17 military sailors were carried out to sea while disembarking from the Kaisar boat. Three were rescued, 14 died, the bodies of the last two - sergeant Mansur Gumarov and sailor Miras Turdybekuly - were discovered on Friday morning. A criminal case has been initiated and a government commission has been created. On Friday, five officials of the highest and senior command staff of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan were detained, including the chief of staff - first deputy commander-in-chief of the Navy, all of them were recognized as suspects and placed in a temporary detention center in Aktau.