Answer
There is no clear-cut rule: it was specifically stated that opening a bank account in Kazakhstan requires personal presence, but it was also mentioned that accounts with banks in CIS countries can be opened entirely remotely, without a power of attorney or travel.
Therefore, the question is not whether this is possible at all, but which specific country, bank, and application channel are involved. The remote option should not automatically be assumed to apply to every bank in the CIS, especially if a subsequent international money transfer is involved.
In practice, it is safer to treat remote account opening as an exception that must be confirmed in advance. It is important to understand who will be the bank's customer, which documents are required, how identification is completed, and whether such an account can subsequently be used for the intended transfer route.