The start of the investigation is related to a video in which Saburov reportedly hands over 10 motorcycles to the "Wagner Legion Istra" unit involved in the Russian military operation in Ukraine.
This video became known after Saburov was expelled from Russia. There is an opinion that the video may be a forgery; however, journalists from Factchek.kz confirmed its authenticity. It later became known that Kazakh activist Marat Turymbetov had sent a request to the General Prosecutor's Office asking for an investigation into the content of the video.
According to lawyer Bauyrzhan Ongarov, Nurlan Saburov may face criminal liability for supporting the "Wagnerites." He stated that under part 1 of article 170 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Mercenarism), the comedian could receive a sentence of 7 to 12 years for financing and materially supporting the mercenaries of PMC "Wagner." "Wagner" is a private military company, and Saburov's actions fully fall under the definition of a crime," the lawyer noted on his Facebook page (which is banned in Russia and owned by the Meta corporation, recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation). At the same time, Russian media clarified that the "Wagner Legion Istra" is a unit of the Russian Ministry of Defense, created after the dissolution of PMC "Wagner."
Nurlan Saburov, born in Stepnogorsk, became known as a resident of the Stand Up project on the TNT channel in Russia. He successfully toured Russia and Kazakhstan, held solo performances, and participated in various television projects. Additionally, he is the host of the popular comedy show "What Happens Next?" and has acted in films.
In 2020, the comedian made it to the Forbes Russia ranking as one of the 30 most promising Russians under 30, despite not having a Russian passport. At that time, his fee for a performance was about $10,000.
In early February of this year, Saburov faced problems at the border when he was not allowed into Russia at the airport, being informed of a 50-year entry ban. This decision, as reported by state agencies, was made on January 30 in the interests of "national security, protection of traditional values," as well as due to violations of migration and tax legislation. Currently, the comedian is reportedly in Almaty, according to media sources.
