Photo: Ministry of Defense of Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Defense has dismissed reports suggesting the country is preparing for a military conflict with Russia, emphasizing that the recently adopted law on territorial defense is not aimed against its northern neighbor. The ministry’s statement was published on Stopfake.kz, a platform supported by the Kazakh government to combat disinformation.
“Russia is a strategic partner of Kazakhstan, with whom we maintain friendly and allied relations through the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the Eurasian Economic Union,” the ministry noted. “Therefore, claims that the Territorial Defense Law is anti-Russian are baseless and misrepresent the reality of current developments.”
The ministry clarified that the bill is designed solely to strengthen Kazakhstan’s internal security. “It is not anti-Russian in nature,” the statement read. “Its purpose is to ensure internal stability, protect the population and infrastructure, and uphold territorial integrity in the event of martial law or other emergencies.”
The law, adopted by the lower house of parliament (the Mazhilis) earlier in April, outlines the creation of territorial self-defense units during times of martial law. These units will consist of volunteers tasked with protecting critical infrastructure, constructing defensive fortifications, coordinating evacuations, and performing other functions. If necessary, they may be integrated into the country’s armed forces to carry out combat duties. The bill has since been sent to the Senate (upper house) for final approval.
Following its passage, some media outlets claimed that Kazakhstan was “preparing for war” with Russia, citing documents accompanying the legislation that indicated the largest defense grouping would be stationed near the Russian border, which stretches for 7,600 kilometers.
In response, the Ministry of Defense explained that the deployment of territorial defense brigades is based on logistical, geographic, and demographic considerations—not external threats.
The ministry also specified that foreign nationals and stateless persons are not permitted to join these territorial defense units, countering another claim made in the disputed media reports.
