Will territorial defense forces be established in Kazakhstan?
The Kazakh government has decided to establish territorial defense brigades in each region to strengthen the country's security . TRT reports that the initiative is currently being implemented in the regions bordering Russia - 8 of the 20 brigades will be deployed in this direction.
According to the source, the territorial defense structure performs tasks such as protecting strategic facilities, constructing defensive structures, organizing the evacuation of the population, and participating in combat operations if necessary, in the event of a declaration of war or martial law.
The initiative, which was put forward in 2023, was unanimously approved by the lower house of parliament, the Majlis, in April 2024. The main goal is to increase the country's defense capabilities and ensure internal security, officials said in a statement.
Some media outlets have speculated that Kazakhstan is preparing for a possible conflict with Moscow due to the large number of troops on the border with Russia. The Ministry of Defense has issued an official statement,stressing that the draft law does not contain any aggression against Russia.
Nevertheless, there are signs of tension in relations with the Kremlin. In particular, in 2022, a VKontakte page belonging to former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev referred to Kazakhstan as an "artificial state . " Although the account was later announced to have been hacked, the incident undermined trust in bilateral relations.
Moscow has also regularly criticized Kazakhstan's policy of developing its state language. However, at the official level, these relations have not cooled: last year, bilateral trade exceeded $28 billion.
According to experts, the activation of Kazakhstan's territorial defense system was prompted by changes in the geopolitical environment, in particular, the war in Ukraine, armed conflicts between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, China's military activity, and the situation in Afghanistan.
For a country with an armed forces of only 40,000, the volunteer defense brigades are seen as a strategic reserve. Analysts say Kazakh society is demilitarized, and the military preparedness of the population is low.
Amidst the instability in the global security system, European countries are discussing the idea of creating an alternative bloc to NATO. Central Asian countries are also looking for a new security model outside the Collective Security Treaty. Kazakhstan's initiative to introduce territorial defense forces is a regional reflection of these processes.
