Kazakhstan cancels shows by Russian comedians over Ukraine

ASTANA - A Russian comedy troupe have had their upcoming shows in Kazakhstan cancelled after a public outcry in the Central Asian country over the performers’ perceived pro-Kremlin stance, organisers said on Thursday.

Ex-Soviet nation Kazakhstan has longstanding political and economic ties with Moscow but has not endorsed

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

launched in February last year.

The organisers of performances by the Kamyzyaki satirical group announced on social media that the events would not go ahead as planned due to “negative public feedback”.

Comedians Azamat Musagaliev and Denis Dorokhov last week staged a performance supportive of the Kremlin in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk, occupied by Russia.

Moscow hosted local ballots in the regions of Ukraine it claims to have annexed last week, in

a vote not recognised by Kyiv or its Western allies.

A petition calling for the shows to be cancelled gathered more than 18,000 signatures.

Tens of thousands of Russians fled

to Kazakhstan and other ex-Soviet countries after the war began and months later when the Kremlin introduced mobilisation.

In June, Kazakhstan cancelled a concert featuring pro-Kremlin Russian singer Grigory Leps following a wave of outcry over his support of the invasion of Ukraine.

Kazakhstan has not recognised eastern and southern Ukrainian regions occupied by Moscow as part of Russia. AFP