The reason for the investigation was a video in which Saburov allegedly hands over 10 motorcycles to the fighters of the "Wagner Legion Istra," involved in Russia's special military operation in Ukraine.
This video became widely available after Saburov was expelled from Russia. Although some users speculated that it was a fake, journalists from Factchek.kz confirmed its authenticity. Additionally, it became known that Kazakh activist Marat Turymbetov appealed to the Prosecutor General's Office with a request to verify this video.
Lawyer Bauyrzhan Ongarov noted that Saburov could face criminal liability in Kazakhstan for supporting the "Wagnerites." In the case of financing and providing material assistance to the mercenaries of PMC "Wagner," he risks a sentence of 7 to 12 years under part 1 of Article 170 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan — Mercenarism. "Wagner" is a private military company, and Saburov's actions, according to the lawyer, can be classified as a crime, which is confirmed 100%," he wrote on his Facebook page (banned in Russia, owned by Meta, recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation). At the same time, Russian media specify that the "Wagner Legion Istra" operates under the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and was created after the dissolution of PMC "Wagner."
Nurlan Saburov, born in Stepnogorsk, became known for his participation in the Stand Up project on the TNT channel. He actively toured Russia and Kazakhstan, performing solo stand-up concerts, as well as hosting the popular comedy show "What Happened Next?". He can also be seen in films and various television projects.
In 2020, Saburov made it to the list of the 30 most promising Russians under 30 according to Forbes Russia, despite lacking Russian citizenship. At that time, his fee for a performance was about $10,000.
In early February of this year, Saburov was not allowed into Russia during border control at the airport, being notified of a 50-year entry ban. This decision, as reported by state agencies, was made on January 30 and was related to issues of "national security and the protection of traditional values," as well as violations of migration and tax legislation. Currently, according to media reports, the comedian is in Almaty.
