What’s behind Russian media’s new wave of anti-Kazakhstan attacks? 

Predictions of a new “coup” and destabilisation, and accusations of ingratitude and “turning away” from Russia. These are the main ‘themes’ of a new wave of anti-Kazakhstan Russian media publications.  

Why is the Kremlin propaganda machine targeting Kazakhstan, again?  

The main reason, it appears, is the coming Russian presidential election in March. Although its outcome is a foregone conclusion, the voters need to be distracted from the stalled war against Ukraine, domestic economic issues, and from the idea that they could elect a new leader.  

The latest anti-Kazakh media drive could also be linked to Moscow’s concern that Kazakhstan is getting too independent in its foreign policies.   

One of the most chauvinist, reactionary Russian media platforms, Tsargrad.tv, has in recent weeks carried a series of articles on Kazakhstan.  

On 22 December it published a story with the headline “Kazakhstan’s advice on how to squeeze out Russians in a quiet way”.  

It accused Astana of “continuing to distance itself from Moscow, focusing its attention on developing ties with the West”, and warned Kazakhstan of “dangerous consequences” for doing that.  

Five days later, it carried an article entitled “A threat next door to Russia: Kazakhstan wants to open a US biolab”. 

Another article, two days later, slammed Kazakhstan for “shamelessly” seeking Russia’s help following recent utilities accidents.  

The headline said: “Frost has tamed Kazakhstan: Russia is being asked for help again. Betrayal forgotten?”, apparently referring to Kazakhstan’s request for Collective Security Treaty Organisation assistance amid the January 2022 unrest.  

Also on 29 December, the website published a story with the headline “Kazakhs want special conditions from Russia” on the Kazakh ambassador’s request to create conditions for ethnic Kazakhs in Russia to learn the Kazakh language. 

On 5 January, the website carried photos of the aftermath of the January 2022 unrest to “refresh Kazakhstan’s memory” about Russia’s help with ending “the bacchanalia” – a favour “which the republic [Kazakhstan] prefers to modestly keep quiet about”. 

In a piece on 9 January the same website carried “military analyst” Vladimir Prokhvatilov’s remarks, saying the West might “instigate” a coup in Kazakhstan in 2024. 

“I am concerned about the situation in Central Asia, where the USA and Great Britain have stepped up their activities literally in all areas in a bid to tear Kazakhstan away from Russia,” he was quoted as saying.  

“I do not rule out that the West will attempt to repeat the January 2022 coup. There are all the preconditions for that.”  

Prokhvatilov also mentioned “signs of problems” in Kyrgyzstan, where “control over the country has been taken over by the SCNS [State Committee for National Security] chairman Kamchybek Tashiyev”. 

“Currently, the [Kyrgyz] Interior Ministry and military are pro-Russian, but everything might change, and then the whole of Central Asia will ‘go up in flames’,” he said. 

The official Russian Pravda newspaper website on 9 January published pro-Russian Kazakh commentator Daniyar Ashimbayev’s remarks that the January 2022 unrest was in fact a Western anti-Russian plot aimed at “drawing Russia into a protracted conflict to give Kiev an opportunity to destroy Donbass”. 

As part of the alleged plan by “Western political technologists”, Kazakhstan was supposedly to be broken up, with the oil-rich southern regions separated from the rest of the country, according to Ashimbayev. 

Pravda.ru also quoted another pro-Russian Telegram blogger Anton Budarov, as claiming that Ukrainian special services were involved in “cultivating Russophobia in Kazakhstan”. 

Budarov accused specific high-ranking Kazakh officials – State Adviser Yerlan Karin, Senate Speaker Maulen Ashimbayev, Information Minister Aida Balayeva and Kazakhstan’s ambassador to Ukraine, Darkhan Kaletayev — of supporting anti-Russian activities. 

Budarov also warned that if Kazakhstan allowed the emergence of “terrorist and extremist groups” on its territory which would represent a threat to Russia, there might be an “escalation” in Kazakh-Russian relations. 

Budarov is wanted by Kazakh authorities on charges of spreading false information. 

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