Kazakhstani citizens are participating in military actions in Ukraine and acquiring Russian citizenship. The newspaper «Zhas Alash» investigated the potential consequences of this situation.

The involvement of Kazakhstani citizens in military actions in Ukraine as part of the Russian armed forces negatively impacts the reputation of our country, stated Murat Mukhamedzhanov, the chairman of the Union of Tajik-Afghan Veterans of Kazakhstan.

Recently, a Kazakhstani citizen signed a contract to participate in the war in Ukraine and obtained Russian citizenship. Roman Burdin from the city of Berdsk, bordering Kazakhstan, and Vladimir Golubev, the local leader of the «United Russia» party, issued Russian passports to Kazakhstani citizen Pavel Kontorbaev and his wife.

After the collapse of the USSR and the Russian armed forces’ invasion of Ukraine, there has been a significant wave of emigration from Russia. There is information that the number of refugees fleeing mobilization has reached 1.3 million people. Official statistics on the number of refugees are restrained, and Moscow avoids precise mention of actual figures. In May of this year, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree granting Russian passports to foreign citizens who signed contracts to participate in military actions.

Kazakhstani citizen Pavel Kontorbaev became the first to acquire Russian citizenship in this way. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, by February 2023, the number of Russian soldiers killed and wounded on the Ukrainian front reached 250,000. According to the BBC, most of the participants who died on the front were not fully prepared; they were volunteers and migrant workers from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Since the beginning of the conflict, Russian authorities have employed various methods to mobilize citizens from neighboring countries to the front lines. While migrant workers are motivated by passports, citizens of Kazakhstan become victims of propaganda.

Political analyst Azimbai Gali believes that involving citizens in war in this way is a Kremlin’s forced measure.

«Russia today is ruled by a military-nationalist party. In recent years, Putin has put his country in a difficult position: under sanctions, the economy is facing difficulties, and society is boiling. By launching a war, he is trying to divert people’s attention from problems. Although Moscow’s official position is militant, it cannot be assumed that the entire population is ready to engage in military actions. They seek to involve their compatriots from post-Soviet countries, such as Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, on the front line.

Even more than thirty years after gaining independence, our compatriots in Russia do not master the national language at an adequate level. There is no example to follow. There are people who even believe that the collapse of the USSR was unfair and that Kazakhstan should be part of Russia. There are those who are misled by false patriotism and claim that they are ready to fight for their historical homeland,» notes Azimbai Gali.

In May of this year, a Ukrainian court sentenced our compatriot Chingis Seipiev, born in the North Kazakhstan region, to nine years for participating in hostilities through the private military company «Wagner.» In Kazakhstan, our citizens who traveled and participated in conflicts in other countries are subject to punishment. However, in most cases, their names are not mentioned and are not openly discussed in society. The names of those who participated in these conflicts also remain hidden. Since the start of tensions in Eastern Europe, official bodies have not provided precise information on the number of Kazakhs participating in military actions. However, information from various sources is shocking. The head of the Eurasian Analytical Club, political scientist Nikita Mendkovich, stated that 1,000 Kazakhs are participating in the «Special Military Operation.» However, there has been no word from our side on this matter. Even the first information about Pavel Kontorbaev appeared in foreign media.

«Those who have received original Russian documents confirming their participation in military actions for Russia should be deprived of Kazakhstani citizenship. According to our legislation, dual citizenship is not allowed. The fact that Kazakhstani citizens go to Russia, obtain passports, and go to the front in Ukraine does not bring honor to our country on the international stage. This concerns our state. On television, it should be clearly stated that this is not a special operation but a war. There are people who believe Russian propaganda without knowing the true situation,» emphasizes Murat Mukhamedzhanov.

According to Kazakhstani legislation, a person who participated in military actions in a foreign state is subject to imprisonment for up to 10 years under articles 172, 174, 180 of the Criminal Code. Now, Russia will issue passports to our compatriots wishing to participate in military actions and save them from punishment.

Baydaulet Darkenbayev, a veteran of the Afghan War, says that during Soviet times, the blood of many Kazakhs was shed on the sands of the Afghan steppe. Today, every citizen of a free country must defend peace precisely in their homeland.

«Every Kazakhstani should think about the integrity of Kazakhstan’s borders. The conflict between Ukraine and Russia is a problem between two countries. Once our country was part of the USSR. We swore allegiance to the homeland. That’s why we went to the Afghan War. Now our country is independent. Thank God, people live here in peace. Every citizen should care about preserving this peace.

Preventing war should be an everyday task. I do not support citizens of Kazakhstan going to war between foreign countries. The state and society need to instill patriotism in young people, and introduce national ideology. We must protect our citizens from Russian information and propaganda. Today, information warfare is important. It is crucial to be victorious in this war and conquer our spheres of knowledge,» shared Baydaulet Darkenbayev.