On Tuesday, June 18, Kazakh opposition journalist Aidos Sadikov, 56, was shot by an unknown assailant in Kyiv, near his residence. The Ukrainian National Police were the first to report the incident, where the attacker fired at Sadikov while he was in a parked car with his wife. Fortunately, his wife was unharmed. Sadikov was taken to the hospital in serious condition.
Born in Kazakhstan, Sadikov faced criminal prosecution in his home country and was sentenced to two years in prison for “hooliganism.” He moved to Kyiv in 2014 with his wife, where they acquired refugee status. Sadikov was known for his activism, organizing protests, and hosting a YouTube channel critical of the Kazakh government and oligarchs.
His latest video, questioning the influence of Russian agents on the President of Kazakhstan, was released on the day of the attack. This incident has sparked an investigation by the Kyiv City Prosecutor’s Office into the attempted murder. Sadikov’s supporters and colleagues are closely monitoring his condition and demanding justice for the attempted assassination.