A high-profile criminal case concerning the murder of well-known farmer Azamat Batanov has concluded in the North Kazakhstan Region, with the court delivering its verdict.
The tragedy occurred in the autumn of last year in the village of Dokuchayevo, Tимирязев District. According to investigators, a 22-year-old worker, while intoxicated, came to the home of Azamat Batanov, the 52-year-old head of LLP “Burbat”, and shot him dead.
The case was heard with the participation of a jury. Two defendants were tried:
— Vadim Orlov, charged with murder and making threats to human life;
— Viktor Torgashov, charged with concealing a particularly serious crime.
What happened
According to the prosecution, on the evening of October 31, 2025, at around 10:00 p.m., Orlov, under the influence of alcohol, took a firearm and drove around the village intending to confront people he held grudges against. His acquaintance Viktor Torgashov was with him.
First, Orlov went to the home of a villager whom he believed had wronged him in childhood. He struck the man with the butt of the gun and fired several shots, but the victim managed to escape.
Orlov then headed to the house of farmer Azamat Batanov, allegedly to demand payment for work previously performed.
Prosecutor Asem Kazbekova stated that Batanov came outside and fired a single warning shot into the air with a hunting rifle. Orlov then aimed directly at him and shot him in the chest. After the victim fell, Orlov took Batanov’s weapon and fired a second, fatal shot to the head. Azamat Batanov died at the scene from his injuries.
According to the case materials, Torgashov remained in the car during the killing and later received the weapon from Orlov with instructions to hide it.
Defendant’s testimony
During the trial, Vadim Orlov initially partially admitted guilt, claiming he had no intention to kill. At the final hearing, however, he fully denied responsibility, stating that his actions were purely self-defense.
He said he had worked at LLP “Burbat” for about four months without official employment and claimed he had not been paid 1.3 million tenge in wages.
According to Orlov, a celebration marking the end of the harvest took place that evening at the farm. He said he noticed the weapon there and took it with him “for personal safety.”
Court ruling
The prosecutor requested a sentence of 15 years in prison for Vadim Orlov and 4 years for Viktor Torgashov.
The victim’s daughter, Raushan Nurtazina, told the court that her father’s death had devastated the entire family and called for the harshest possible punishment. She also stated that the company had no debt to Orlov.
On February 10, 2026, the Specialized Interdistrict Criminal Court of the North Kazakhstan Region, with a jury, issued the verdict:
— Vadim Orlov was sentenced to 11 years in a medium-security correctional facility;
— Viktor Torgashov was sentenced to 2 years in a minimum-security facility.
In addition, the court ordered Orlov to pay moral damages of 2.5 million tenge to each of the victims — the farmer’s wife, two daughters, and parents.
The victims consider the sentence too lenient. They have not yet decided whether to file an appeal.
