Fake Telegram channel clones NEGE to spread claims about Azat Peruashev

September 30, 2026 at 09:00 AM2 min

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

A fake Telegram channel imitating Kazakh outlet NEGE has appeared, copying its posts, design, and subscriber count. The clone publishes materials about former Ak Zhol leader Azat Peruashev that the editorial team says it never produced. NEGE editor-in-chief Adelaida Auespekova issued an official statement on September 29 disavowing the content.

Key Facts

The fake NEGE channel was created on December 2 and until late September posted random cat photos and incoherent English technical texts.
On September 29, the clone channel posted ten messages, whereas previously it had published exactly two posts per day.
The same material about Azat Peruashev was posted four times on the clone channel under dates July 21, August 12, September 18, and September 29.
About three days before the clone was discovered, the real NEGE channel gained more than 100 bot-like accounts in one day and saw a rise in views.
The fake publication includes alleged screenshots of chats and an audio recording claimed to be Peruashev's voice.

Clone Channel Discovery

NEGE editor-in-chief Adelaida Auespekova announced the clone's existence on the evening of September 29. The fake channel replicates the official NEGE Telegram channel's posts, design, pinned messages, and even subscriber count. Auespekova said the editorial team noticed unusual activity on the real channel about three days earlier, with over 100 bot-like accounts subscribing in a day and a rise in views. The clone channel was created on December 2 and had been publishing random cat photos and incoherent English technical texts until late September. On September 29, the channel's activity shifted sharply: at 13:12 a photo resembling the main Nege.kz channel image was set, and after 16:00 the first unedited posts duplicating real NEGE content appeared.

Peruashev Disinformation Campaign

The clone channel hosts publications accusing Azat Peruashev of violating Kazakhstani law, based on alleged anonymous appeals to media. The fake material includes purported screenshots of chats and an audio recording that authors try to pass off as Peruashev's voice. The same material was posted four times on the clone channel under dates July 21, August 12, September 18, and September 29. The disinformation is spread through personal messages; an Exclusive.kz journalist received a repost of the fake August-dated publication from an unknown Telegram user whose account was registered in September 2026. Similar fake publications about Peruashev were previously distributed through clone websites imitating Exclusive.kz and Vlast.

Editorial Denial

NEGE stated that the editorial team did not prepare or publish the Peruashev materials on Nege.kz, the Telegram pages Nege.Aqsha and Nege.kz, or its official TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram accounts. The outlet urged readers, colleagues, and other media to verify the channel address and original source before citing or distributing NEGE materials. Auespekova emphasized that the fake channel is nearly indistinguishable from the real one at first glance because posts, design, and pinned messages were copied.