Kazakh outlet Orda.kz to shut down September 1, founder cites losses

August 31, 2026 at 03:15 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Kazakh media outlet Orda.kz will cease operations on September 1, founder Maksat Ganiev announced on August 31. Ganiev cited six years of losses and no prospect of recovering his investment as the reason for the closure. Editor-in-chief Anna Platonova confirmed the shutdown will affect the website and all associated social media accounts, including the YouTube channel.

Key Facts

Orda.kz will cease operations on September 1, 2026, according to founder Maksat Ganiev and editor-in-chief Anna Platonova.
Ganiev said the outlet had been unprofitable for six years and had no chance of recovering his investment.
The closure will affect the main website and all associated social media accounts, including the YouTube channel with over 379,000 subscribers.
Ganiev promised to pay all staff in full and said the editorial team would fulfill its obligations.
The outlet was registered on December 22, 2020, and was led by journalist Gulnara Bazhkenova until the end of 2025.

Closure Announcement

Maksat Ganiev, founder and first head of Ordamedia.kz LLP, announced on August 31 that he had decided to close Orda.kz. He said the media project had been unprofitable and that he saw no chance of recovering the funds invested over six years. Ganiev stated that Orda.kz could earn money through transparent advertising contracts but that this barely covered its own expenses. He added that he had no desire to use the media for political games, spreading fake news, or blackmail.

Editorial Response

Editor-in-chief Anna Platonova confirmed that the website and all associated social media accounts, including the YouTube channel, would stop working on September 1. She said the decision had no subtext and that the money earned by the editorial team was insufficient to support it. The editorial team would make every effort to fulfill its obligations in full, Platonova added. The last materials on Orda.kz will be published on August 31.

Background and Context

Orda.kz was registered on December 22, 2020, and covered socio-political events in Kazakhstan. The project was launched by journalist Gulnara Bazhkenova, who led the editorial team until the end of 2025. In December 2025, Ganiev, who owns 70% of Ordamedia.kz LLP, took over the company from Bazhkenova. The sides publicly exchanged accusations regarding the management and ownership of the outlet. A court sentenced former Orda.kz head Bazhkenova to eight years in prison for embezzlement and spreading fake news.