Kazakh radio host calls on ‘Uncle’ Putin to invade country, fired

A radio jockey from Kazakhstan was fired for suggesting that Russian President Vladimir Putin could invade the Central Asian country during a heated Facebook debate with a user who criticised the Ukraine war.

“We will call in Uncle Vova if you talk too much,” Europa Plus Kazakhstan radio station host Lyubov Panova said in her Facebook comments while supporting Russia and Putin.

The admirers of Vladimir affectionately call him “Vova”.

However, the comments drew wide condemnation, following which netizens demanded that the radio host be penalised.

Following a huge uproar, Europa Plus Kazakhstan terminated her contract on Monday, reported the Reuters.

Deputy Prosecutor General Bulat Dembayev issued a statement warning social media users against making comments that call for Kazakhs to join the Russia-Ukraine conflict or incite ethnic hatred.

“Moreover, some social network users, including Kazakh citizens … publish separatist slogans that refer to the territorial integrity of our country,” he said, warning that such actions constitute a crime.

Kazakhstan, a former Soviet republic, shares the world's second-longest land border with Russia and has close economic and political ties with Moscow, being a member of Russian-led trade and military blocs.

So far, Kazakhstan has avoided taking sides on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, although President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said this month that all countries must strictly adhere to the norms and principles of the UN Charter.

In fact, the deputy foreign minister told a German newspaper that companies leaving Russia due to the war in Ukraine were welcome to move production to Kazakhstan, saying Kazakhstan would not want to be on the wrong side of a new "iron curtain".

The foreign ministry last month signalled its neutrality in the Ukraine conflict and said it is not considering recognition of two Russia-backed separatist entities in eastern Ukraine.

(With inputs from agencies)