Source Reveals Name of Military Attaché's Assistant Arrested in Poland

Orda.kz has learned the name of the assistant of the military attaché of the Kazakh embassy in Ukraine who was arrested in Poland on suspicion of espionage.

What Is Known?

A source told Orda.kz that the detainee’s name is Anuar Bigembay, aged about 30–35, and that he has two children; one was born in Kyiv. He graduated from a military academy in Russia. 

The source suggested that the Ukrainian side may have allowed Polish security forces to detain the suspect themselves to avoid straining relations with Kazakhstan.

The department where the detainee served operates separately from the Kazakh embassy in Ukraine, has its own budget, and does not report directly to the ambassador. Only three people work there — the military attaché, his assistant, and a specialist. They live in Kyiv with their wives, unlike embassy staff, who are prohibited from bringing families.

Due to the lack of air communications with Kyiv, official correspondence and personal belongings were delivered through Poland. Diplomatic mission employees usually traveled there by train — safer, though it takes around 15 hours. The military attaché personnel, however, preferred to travel by car, which takes about ten hours.

The website of the Kazakh embassy in Ukraine lists the military attaché as Kisentayev Bakytzhan Begimbayevich.

Immunity

Former diplomat Kazbek Beisebayev explained that such arrangements are common in global diplomatic practice, with intelligence officers often working under diplomatic cover.

He noted that the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961) guarantees immunity from criminal and other prosecution.

Regarding the detention of our military attaché’s assistant, most likely our ambassador will be summoned to the Polish Foreign Ministry, told that the assistant was engaged in illegal activities, reprimanded, declared persona non grata, and ordered to leave within 48 hours. As the saying goes, there is nothing new here: spies spied before and will continue to spy,
 Beisebayev concluded.

Earlier, Elmedia reported, citing sources, that the detained assistant was named Anuar B., who had worked in the position for a year and a half.

His arrest was possible in Poland because his diplomatic immunity only applied in Ukraine.

The Ministry of Defense of Kazakhstan has only confirmed that an employee of the Kazakh military attaché’s office was arrested in Poland.

Original Author: Ayanrafi Narikbaeva