Kazakh internet journalism pioneer Yuri Mizinov dies at 76

September 10, 2026 at 01:11 PM2 min

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

Yuri Mizinov, co-founder of Kazakhstan's first internet newspaper Navigator and editor-in-chief of ZonaKZ, died at the age of 76. His death was reported by Ratel.kz and confirmed by his wife Elena Inzhevatova. Mizinov was awarded the Union of Journalists of Kazakhstan gold medal in 2020 for his contribution to civil society.

Key Facts

Yuri Mizinov was born on January 18, 1950, in Uralsk and graduated from Karaganda Polytechnic Institute as an engineer-economist.
In January 2000, Mizinov co-founded the internet newspaper Navigator with Dzhanibek Suleyev and Aigul Omarova; it was renamed ZonaKZ in May 2006.
ZonaKZ ceased operations on February 1, 2025, after 25 years of existence.
In 2020, Mizinov received the gold medal of the Union of Journalists of Kazakhstan for his contribution to the development of civil society.
Mizinov led the Sary-Arka television company in 1991–1992 and served as editor-in-chief of the newspapers Zebra, Koleso, Grach, and 451° Fahrenheit.

Career in Journalism

Mizinov began his journalism career after the collapse of the USSR, becoming president of the Sary-Arka television company in Karaganda in the early 1990s. He later served as editor-in-chief of the newspapers Zebra (1993), Koleso (1994–1998), Grach, and 451° Fahrenheit. In 1996–1998, Mizinov was secretary of the Karaganda regional committee of the Socialist Party of Kazakhstan. In 1998, he founded the communications agency Grach and became editor-in-chief of the newspaper of the same name, then moved to Almaty to launch 451° Fahrenheit, which lasted one year.

Navigator and ZonaKZ

In January 2000, Mizinov, together with Dzhanibek Suleyev and Aigul Omarova, launched the internet newspaper Navigator. Gimran Yergaliyev later joined the editorial team. In May 2006, the publication was renamed ZonaKZ. Navigator and ZonaKZ became platforms where Kazakhstani socio-political internet journalism was formed, publishing news, interviews, analytical materials, and press reviews. ZonaKZ ceased operations on February 1, 2025, after 25 years, following the termination of funding.

Recognition and Legacy

In 2020, Mizinov was awarded the gold medal of the Union of Journalists of Kazakhstan for his contribution to the development of civil society. He also held the title of Honorary Journalist of Kazakhstan and was a laureate of the Union of Journalists prize. In his final address, Mizinov thanked journalists, authors, technical staff, colleagues, and his wife Elena. The cause of death was not reported.