Mukhtar Altynbayev

Mukhtar Qapashuly Altynbayev (Kazakh: Мұхтар Қапашұлы Алтынбаев) (born December 10, 1945 in Karaganda, Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union) served as the Minister of Defense and General of the Army of Kazakhstan twice, most recently from December 2001 to 10 January 2007. Prime Minister Karim Massimov replaced him with former Prime Minister Daniyal Akhmetov in a political shakeup. Previously, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev dismissed Altynbayev from his post as Defense Minister in August 1999 along with Nurtay Abikayev, the head of the National Security Committee. According to Radio Free Europe, they were dismissed for "failing to properly investigate" the illegal sale of Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 fighter aircraft to North Korea. In March 2000 he became commander of Kazakhstan's Air Defense Force.

2007 political shakeup
President Nazarbayev nominated Karim Massimov, who at the time served as Deputy Prime Minister, to succeed Daniyal Akhmetov as Prime Minister on 9 January 2007. Akhmetov resigned on 8 January without explanation. Analysts attributed Akhmetov's political downfall to the President's criticism of his administrative oversight of the economy. The Parliament confirmed the nomination on 10 January. Massimov appointed Akhmetov to Defense Minister, replacing Altynbayev, and appointed Aslan Musin, formerly the Minister of Economy and Budget, as Deputy Prime Minister.

Honours and awards

 * Kazakhstan:
 * People's Hero of Kazakhstan
 * Order Otan
 * Order Barys, 2nd class
 * Medal "For Meritorious Service" (Kazakhstan), 3rd class
 * Astana Medal
 * Medal "10th Anniversary of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan"
 * Medal "10 years of independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan"
 * Medal "10th Anniversary of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan"
 * Medal "10 Years of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan"
 * Medal "50 years of the Baikonur cosmodrome"
 * Medal "For strengthening military cooperation"
 * The medal "Astana 10 years"
 * Medal "20 years of independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan"


 * Russian Federation:
 * Order of Friendship
 * Two medals "For strengthening military cooperation"


 * Kyrgyzstan:
 * Medal "For strengthening military cooperation"
 * Medal "10th Anniversary of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kyrgyzskoy"
 * Medal "For Distinction in Military Service"


 * Ukraine:
 * Medal "10th Anniversary of the Armed Forces of Ukraine"


 * Moldova:
 * Medal "For strengthening military commonwealth"


 * Soviet Union:
 * Order for Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR, 3rd class
 * Medal "Veteran of the Armed Forces of the USSR"
 * Jubilee Medal "60 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"
 * Jubilee Medal "70 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"
 * Medal "For Impeccable Service" 1st, 2nd and 3rd classes

And other ...
 * Public award - Order of Peter the Great, 1st class (Academy of Security, Defense and Law Enforcement)
 * Honorary citizen of the city of Karaganda (2005)