Durov’s swim in Kolsai lakes: Ministry of Internal Affairs forwards case to environmental authorities

Tengrinews.kz - The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has confirmed that the question of Pavel Durov’s responsibility for swimming in Kolsai Lake will be addressed by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources.

The incident occurred when Durov, founder of VKontakte and Telegram, swam in Kolsai Lake and posted a video online, drawing criticism from some users. The Kolsai Lakes National Park has stated that swimming in the lake is prohibited and that an official investigation has been initiated. Violating park rules carries a fine of 10 monthly calculation indices, equivalent to 39,320 tenge in 2025.

MIA Deputy Chairman of the Administrative Police Committee, Alexey Milyuk, clarified that responsibility for entering and swimming in protected areas, as well as issuing fines, lies with the Ministry of Ecology.

“The MIA collected information published in the media and forwarded it to the environmental authorities. Administrative proceedings were not initiated by our officers,” he said.

Milyuk added that penalties will depend on the classification of the violation, ranging from a warning to the maximum fine.

Durov recently shared another video from the icy waters of Kolsai Lake, showing him retrieving an iron rod from the bottom while commenting, “the lake needs cleaning”.