Who is the Kazakh banker claiming to lead the opposition and protests in the country?

The former head of the Kazakh 'Turan Alem' bank, Mukhtar Ablyazov, who is currently abroad, has proclaimed himself the leader of the opposition and the protest movement in Kazakhstan. According to TASS, this information was relayed to Reuters by the banker, who fled the country.

Ablyazov emphasized that protesters in Almaty ask him daily how to act. He also stated that he would return to Kazakhstan to lead a 'temporary government' if the protests reach the 'right scale.'

In an interview conducted in Paris, the banker added that he has not received any funds from Western countries to organize the protests. At the same time, he called on Western nations to intervene in the events occurring in Kazakhstan to prevent closer ties between the country and Russia.

Criminal cases have been initiated against Ablyazov in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine. He has been accused of various offenses, including fraud, forgery of documents, and abuse of power. A case was opened against him in 2009 after the banker fled the country, and Interpol issued an international warrant for his arrest.

In 2013, Ablyazov was arrested in France. Both Ukraine and Russia sought his extradition, with priority given to the Russian side. The defense claimed that the case against Ablyazov is politically motivated and appealed to the French State Council, which overturned the extradition ruling.