In his recent interview with the newspaper "Turkestan," the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, shared his impressions of the meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, which took place during their visit to Bishkek. He noted how Putin participated in a duel with a young judoka, which became a symbol of defending the honor of the older generation.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also answered a question about which leaders of the CIS countries are actively engaged in sports. He mentioned that the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, maintains his physical fitness by regularly attending training sessions. The President of Kyrgyzstan, Sadyr Japarov, enjoys football, while the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, is into cycling. The leader of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, prefers hockey, whereas Emomali Rahmon, the President of Tajikistan, is known for his military toughness.
Additionally, Tokayev spoke about his own health condition:
– I feel good, my blood pressure is normal. I practice yoga daily, but I do not meditate. I play table tennis twice a week with a former professional athlete. Recently, I have lost nine kilograms and now feel much more comfortable.
The visit of Tokayev and Putin to Bishkek took place in November 2025, where they and other leaders of the CIS countries participated in a meeting of the Collective Security Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization.
