Page 70 – The Times Of Central Asia

21 Oct 2025

Central Asia, Environment, Home, Kyrgyzstan Environment, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan Home

Natural Barriers: Kyrgyzstan Fights Disasters with Reforestation

October 21, 2025
By Anton Chipegin

Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations, in collaboration with representatives of the World Bank, has surveyed floodplain areas in the Jalal-Abad region to identify zones most vulnerable to erosion and flooding. The ministry’s press service reported that environmental protection efforts will soon begin in these areas, aimed at strengthening soil stability and reducing the risk of natural disasters.

The Forestry Institute had earlier designated the region as a pilot site for environmental initiatives. Emergency services personnel and forestry specialists plan to plant trees to establish protective forest belts. The trees’ root systems are expected to reinforce the soil and serve as natural barriers against landslides and mudflows.

Last year, the region suffered severe rainfall, triggering mudslides that nearly destroyed two villages. A 10-year-old child lost their life, and over 300 families were evacuated. The disaster also inundated a section of the Bishkek-Osh highway, paralyzing traffic for several hours.

“Visiting the ravines allowed us to assess their current condition and identify the areas most vulnerable to erosion. The timely implementation of protective measures, such as planting trees and applying bioengineering solutions, will not only mitigate flood risks but also help restore ecological balance,” the ministry stated.

The project is funded by the World Bank and the International Development Association. The Jalal-Abad region has been selected for the pilot phase, with similar initiatives planned for other regions across the country.

A recent World Bank report emphasized the economic costs of forest loss, noting its impact on the water cycle, soil stability, and drought resilience, factors that contribute to billions of dollars in global losses.

“People and communities around the world are facing not only an environmental crisis but also an economic one. The good news is that solutions exist. If countries start investing now, natural systems can be restored, delivering strong returns in economic growth and job creation,” said Axel van Trotsenburg, Senior Managing Director at the World Bank.

Experts argue that environmental programs should not be viewed as obstacles to development, but rather as key to building more sustainable and resilient economies.

21 Oct 2025

Central Asia, Business & Economy, Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Business & Economy

KIA Qazaqstan Car Factory Launched in Kostanay

October 21, 2025
By Dmitry Pokidaev

A new car assembly plant owned by KIA Motors Corporation has officially launched operations in northern Kazakhstan. Once fully operational, the KIA Qazaqstan facility will be capable of producing up to 70,000 vehicles annually. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev inaugurated the plant via teleconference.

The decision to construct the plant in the Kostanay region was made in 2023. Located in the Kostanay industrial zone, the facility occupies nearly 63 hectares. More than $245 million has been invested in the project, which has created 1,500 jobs. The primary markets for the vehicles will include Kazakhstan, other Central Asian countries, and member states of the Eurasian Economic Union.

Speaking during the Astana-Kostanay teleconference, President Tokayev highlighted the strategic importance of the new plant to Kazakhstan’s machine-building sector. He noted that KIA Sportage production had already begun in Kostanay two years earlier, and that this new phase, launched under an agreement with KIA Corporation, marks the start of full-scale vehicle manufacturing.

Tokayev thanked KIA Corporation President Ho-Sung Song and the company for their cooperation, emphasizing the value of high localization in production. He stressed that increasing the share of domestically sourced components is vital for Kazakhstan’s industrial development.

Experts estimate that each job at the plant will create up to five or six additional jobs in logistics, services, and infrastructure.

“This is not just a linear expansion, but a major step toward creating a full-fledged industrial cluster, where small and medium-sized enterprises will have real opportunities to grow,” Tokayev said. “This approach will strengthen the industrial capacity not only of the Kostanay region, but of the entire country. I am confident that the KIA plant will become a new growth point for Kazakhstan’s automotive industry.”

He added that the plant’s launch will support the renewal of Kazakhstan’s vehicle fleet and contribute to improved road safety.

In 2024, the machine-building sector attracted over $540 million in investment, 2.5 times more than in 2023. Since the beginning of 2025, $331 million has already been invested in the industry. Last year, Kazakhstan produced over 145,000 vehicles, with assembly facilities operating in Astana, Almaty, Semey, Uralsk, Kokshetau, Kostanay, and Saran. The sector currently employs more than 10,000 people.

“The launch of KIA Qazaqstan will give a powerful boost to the technological modernization of the entire industry. In the future, the company will be able to manufacture new car models and enter foreign markets with products that meet international standards. Kazakhstan is ready to contribute to the development of the global automotive industry,” Tokayev concluded.

As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, between January and July 2025, Kazakhstan produced 83,200 vehicles worth $21.4 billion, an increase of 16.7% compared to the same period last year.

21 Oct 2025

Central Asia, Home, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan Home, Business & Economy, Uzbekistan Business & Economy, Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy, Kyrgyzstan Home

Russia Overtakes Central Asian Suppliers in China’s Gas Market

October 21, 2025
By Sadokat Jalolova

While Central Asian nations remain major suppliers of natural gas to China, newly released data indicates that Russia is rapidly expanding its market share and has now overtaken traditional exporters from the region.

According to figures from China’s General Administration of Customs, as reported by Russian state media TASS, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan together supplied more than $7.9 billion worth of pipeline gas to China between January and September 2025.

Turkmenistan, historically China’s leading gas supplier, exported $6.46 billion worth of pipeline gas during the nine-month period, representing a 12.7% decline year-on-year. Kazakhstan followed with gas exports totaling $854.7 million, while Uzbekistan supplied approximately $629.8 million.

Russia, however, has emerged as the largest single supplier, exporting $7.29 billion worth of pipeline gas to China in the same period, an 18.9% increase compared to the previous year. In September alone, Russian gas exports reached $802.2 million, slightly exceeding August’s figures. The surge follows an agreement signed during President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Beijing in late August and early September, under which Russia committed to supplying 106 billion cubic meters of gas annually to China.

In 2024, China’s total pipeline gas imports rose by 8.6% to $21.1 billion, with Russian imports growing by 25% to $8.03 billion.

Russia’s growing footprint in the Chinese gas market aligns with its broader strategy to deepen energy cooperation across Eurasia.

In February, Moscow announced plans to construct a new trunk pipeline to supply gas to northern and northeastern Kazakhstan. The pipeline, which will pass through Russia’s Tyumen region, is designed to transport 10 billion cubic meters of gas per year and will be supported by compressor stations generating 50 megawatts.

21 Oct 2025

Central Asia, Home, Kazakhstan, Business & Economy, Kazakhstan Business & Economy, Kazakhstan Home

Kazakhstan Forecasts Twofold Increase in Internet Traffic Consumption

October 21, 2025
By Dmitry Pokidaev

Kazakhstan is set to double its internet traffic consumption by the end of 2025 compared to the previous year, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev announced during a government meeting. The minister also noted that full population coverage with internet services is not expected until 2027, meaning continued growth in demand is likely.

“It is important to note the significant growth in internet traffic consumption this year: we expect it to be twice as high as last year,” Madiyev said.

In 2024, total internet traffic in Kazakhstan reached 2.14 million terabytes, with the average subscriber using approximately 22.4 GB per month, 40% above the global average of 16 GB.

Madiyev attributed this growth to substantial investment in digital infrastructure. Over the past three years, more than $1.8 billion has been invested in the development of internet and mobile communication services. Kazakhstan now boasts an average internet speed of 94 Mbps, with 20 million mobile internet users and 3.7 million fixed-line subscribers.

“By the end of 2027, we plan to provide 100% internet coverage for the population, and internet speeds will exceed 100 megabits per second,” the minister stated.

He added that 90% of rural settlements will be connected to fiber-optic communication lines by that time, significantly improving regional connectivity.

According to the Kazakh government, of the country’s 6,179 settlements, 119 cities and 4,906 villages currently have access to communications infrastructure. Of these, 2,724 are connected via 3G and 2,182 via 4G. Fixed internet access is available in 1,902 villages through ADSL and in 2,654 villages via fiber-optic networks.

Plans are in place to connect an additional 3,000 villages to high-speed internet by 2027. In parallel, 504 remote settlements will receive satellite internet access. Of these, 176 are already connected via KazSat, and a further 328 are expected to be connected through OneWeb by the end of 2025.

In June 2025, Kazakhstan signed an agreement with Starlink, which officially began operating in the country on August 13. Starlink’s satellite internet is now used in more than 1,700 rural schools. Overall, 84% of the country’s villages are covered by mobile networks, according to ministry data.

Alexander Babichev, Chairman of the Board at Mobile Telecom Service LLP (MTS), stated that 3G technology will be fully phased out in all major cities by the end of 2025, replaced by 4G. In 2026, Kazakhstan is expected to introduce VoWiFi technology nationwide, allowing voice calls over any available Wi-Fi network.

“We have successfully conducted a pilot within the company, and next year the technology will become widely available,” said Evgeny Nastradin, Executive Director of Kar-Tel.

In parallel, Kazakhstan is developing a national Wi-Fi operator to provide secure internet access across social and transport infrastructure. In the first phase, 400 locations in 10 cities will be covered. By 2027, that figure is expected to grow to 20,000. This infrastructure will support the rollout of digital services and AI-based solutions.

As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, the European Union has launched a major initiative aimed at boosting digital connectivity in Central Asia, with the goal of addressing the region’s digital divide.

21 Oct 2025

The Industrial Map of Central Asia: Projects That Could Reshape the Region’s Economy

December 5, 2025
By Times of Central Asia

Over the next decade, the countries of Central Asia are preparing to launch a wave of industrial projects: copper mines, gas-chemical complexes, hydropower and nuclear plants, fertilizer factories, and others. The largest initiatives, valued at tens of billions of dollars, could significantly alter the balance of global markets.

Uzbekistan: Betting on Metallurgy and Gas Chemistry

Uzbekistan has been particularly active in launching new industrial projects. The largest initiative is the $15 billion expansion of the Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Combine (AMMC), designed to increase copper cathode production from 148,000 to 400,000 tons annually by 2030.

This more than two-fold increase is driven by strong global demand for copper. In May 2024, prices exceeded $11,000 per ton due to anticipated shortages linked to the energy transition and rising consumption in green technologies. Copper has become a key metal for electrification, and Uzbekistan’s copper megaproject fits squarely into this global trend, positioning the country as an emerging player in the market.

Another strategic direction is the deep processing of natural gas into chemical products. In spring 2024, construction began on a $5 billion methanol-to-olefins gas-chemical complex in Bukhara.

The plant, located in the Karakul Free Economic Zone, will process 1.3 billion m³ of gas and 430,000 tons of naphtha per year, producing up to 1.1 million tons of polymers. Completion is expected in 2027. The facility will create 2,000 direct jobs, and about 4,000 more in related industries such as construction materials, textiles, automotive, and electronics.

Equipment suppliers include companies from the United States, Germany, and China, and the project is led by Uzbekistan’s largest oil and gas company, Sanoat Energetika Guruhi (Saneg).

An even larger $10 billion MTO project is planned for completion by 2028, creating about 3,000 jobs and further expanding polymer production based on methanol.

Uzbekistan is also investing in modernizing existing facilities. The $1.8 billion expansion of the Shurtan Gas Chemical Complex is under way, and preparations are being made for the privatization of the $3.4 billion Uzbekistan GTL plant launched in 2021.

In renewables, a 250 MW solar power plant with Masdar is being built in Bukhara region with UAE partner Masdar, scheduled to come online by late 2025.

Turkmenistan: Fuel, Energy, and the Chemical Industry

Turkmenistan, which holds the world’s fourth-largest natural gas reserves, is focusing on export-oriented energy projects and the development of gas-chemical production. A key regional initiative is the TAPI pipeline (Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India), valued at more than $7 billion.

In 2024, work began on the Turkmen segment from Serhetabat on the Afghan border to Herat, forming the central section of the route. TAPI aims to deliver Turkmen gas to South Asian markets and enhance regional energy security. Despite geopolitical challenges, construction continues under the government’s “Arkadag Bright Path” energy development strategy.

The country is also expanding its domestic processing capacity. In 2019, Turkmenistan launched the world’s first industrial gas-to-gasoline (GTG) plant in Ovadan Depe, a $1.7 billion facility that converts 1.8 billion m³ of gas into 600,000 tons of A-92 gasoline annually. The fuel is already being exported to Afghanistan. Authorities are now considering a second GTG plant with foreign partners to increase liquid fuel production.

In addition, Turkmenistan is boosting its chemical industry. In 2018, the country commissioned a $3.4 billion gas-chemical complex in Kiyanly, which processes 5 billion m³ of gas into 380,000 tons of polyethylene and 80,000 tons of polypropylene annually.

By 2024, cement plants in Bakharden and Lebap were being expanded, and a new high-voltage power line (Balkan–Dashoguz) was under construction along with new power stations. According to official data, 86 industrial and social facilities were commissioned in 2024, and GDP grew by 6.3 percent.

Kazakhstan Enters the Potash Market and Develops Nuclear Energy

Kazakhstan, the most diversified economy in Central Asia, is strengthening its industrial base across several key sectors. One of the most ambitious initiatives is the country’s first potash mining and processing complex. Qazaq Kalium is developing the Satimola deposit of potash and boron salts in the West Kazakhstan region, with plans to process 25 million tons of potash ore and 1 million tons of boron-bearing ore annually by 2035.

The $2.4 billion project will produce potash fertilizers such as potassium chloride and boric acid, reaching a capacity of 6 million tons per year. This figure is comparable to China’s 6.3 million tons in 2024 and Germany’s 3 million.

The project would make Kazakhstan one of the world’s top five potash producers, with an estimated global market share of around 14 percent. The complex is expected to create 4,000 jobs and fully meet domestic demand while expanding exports. Officials view the project as a boost to food security and economic stability, given persistently high global fertilizer prices in recent years.

Kazakhstan has also become the first country in Central Asia to begin building a nuclear power plant near Ulken, in partnership with Russia’s Rosatom, in the village of Ulken in the Almaty region. The $15 billion project was approved by a national referendum in October 2024, with 71 percent of citizens voting in favor. It is expected to create 10,000 jobs during construction and more than 2,000 permanent positions once operational.

In his September 8 address to the nation, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized that this first plant marks only the beginning of Kazakhstan’s long-term energy strategy. Plans for a second and third nuclear power plant are already under consideration. He highlighted Kazakhstan’s strategic partnership with China in the nuclear sector and stressed that the country remains open to cooperation with global partners on a mutually beneficial basis to ensure long-term energy sovereignty. Recent updates include Rosatom’s selection as the first-plant contractor and the IAEA’s site approval.

Tajikistan: A Hydropower Giant and Industrial Revival

Tajikistan’s key project is the Rogun Hydropower Plant on the Vakhsh River, which should resolve chronic electricity shortages and turn the country into an energy exporter. With a planned capacity of 3,780 MW and six turbine units of 630 MW each, Rogun will be the largest hydropower facility in Central Asia. The first units are already operational, and full completion is expected by 2030.

Valued at over $6 billion, the project is co-financed by the Asian Development Bank, the EBRD, and the Islamic Development Bank. Analysts say it could supply electricity to 10 million people, end winter blackouts, and help decarbonize regional energy systems through green exports. The dam reservoir will also help manage floods and stabilize water supplies. New measures under a no-net-loss reforestation plan have also been announced, and Tajikistan has discussed supplying Rogun power to Uzbekistan at 3.4 cents/kWh.

Tajikistan is also modernizing its industrial base. The Tajik Aluminum Company (TALCO), the region’s largest industrial plant, is being upgraded with Chinese assistance. In 2024, the government signed a deal with China Machinery Engineering Corp (CMEC) to modernize smelting capacity, increasing output by 20 to 25 percent.

Plans for a new $1.6 billion aluminum plant with Yunnan Company have been delayed, but production still rose by 22.5 percent in 2024 to about 19,000 tons of rolled aluminum.

In the mining sector, Tajikistan is developing its reserves of precious and rare metals. More than 75 percent of gold output is controlled by Chinese investors, and the giant Koni Mansur silver deposit, requiring about $4 billion in investment, is being developed by a Chinese company. The deposit holds an estimated 70,000 tons of silver.

The government is also promoting public-private partnerships for rare metal projects such as Yakjilva in the Gorno-Badakhshan (GBAO) region, though these plans have sparked debates about resource sovereignty and national interests.

Kyrgyzstan: An Industrial Leap and Cross-Border Cooperation

Kyrgyzstan’s economy has traditionally relied on gold mining and hydropower, but in recent years the government has pushed for industrial revival and diversification. In 2024, the prime minister announced the launch of 100 new production facilities supported by tax incentives and state aid for strategic projects. By year-end, the goal was surpassed, with 102 plants worth a total of $800 million opened.

Among them are the $160 million Terek-Tash cement plant in Chuy region, a ceramic tile factory, a porcelain stoneware plant, a tobacco factory, and a $50 million machine-building facility developed jointly with Uzbekistan.

A 700-hectare logistics hub near Bishkek is also under construction, and the government has revived the Soviet-era Mailuu-Suu electric lamp plant to produce modern lighting equipment. New factories for trucks, LED lamps, paper, and agricultural drones have been opened with Chinese investment.

The Kambarata-1 Hydropower Plant (HPP-1) is another megaproject that could transform the region’s energy balance. Planned since Soviet times, this 1,860 MW plant on the Naryn River is moving forward after a 2023 agreement between Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan; experts recently emphasized seismic due-diligence as financing advances.

Kyrgyzstan is also exploring its mineral resources. The prime minister announced that one deposit contains confirmed reserves of 20 million tons of titanomagnetite ore, while the Kutessay II site holds up to 60,000 tons of rare earth metals. These projects remain in early stages, with technoparks and geological surveys under way.

A Region Entering a New Industrial Era

Central Asia is undergoing an industrial upswing driven by globally demanded sectors. Regional leaders are drawing lessons from global trends while leveraging local advantages. The region is entering a new phase of industrialization, with announced projects totaling tens of billions of dollars, and their implementation could significantly boost Central Asia’s combined GDP over the next five to ten years.

However, success will depend on several factors: securing financing, improving the investment climate, developing a skilled workforce, and maintaining regional stability. Each of the five Central Asian countries is claiming its own industrial niche while complementing the others. This model not only creates domestic benefits but also integrates the region more deeply into the global economy than ever before.

21 Oct 2025

Home, Life & Culture, Kazakhstan Life & Culture, Kazakhstan, Features, Kazakhstan Featurees

Q-Pop Is Back. Is Kazakhstan Ready This Time?

October 21, 2025
By Manon Madec

Around 2015, Kazakhstan saw the rise of Q-pop, led by the boy band Ninety One. A decade on, the cultural tension remains: while youth artists enjoy greater visibility, many observers argue that freedom of expression is still shaped by a silent boundary — ‘you can make music, but not stir too much controversy.

A little over a decade ago, five young men in earrings and pastel clothes released “Aıyptama!” (“Don’t blame me”) – a slick, catchy track in Kazakh, with a video that looked like it came straight out of Seoul. The group, Ninety One, was born out of a reality TV show modeled on the K-pop system.

At the time, Kazakh-language pop had little presence on mainstream radio or TV, where Russian-language and Western hits dominated. Much of the Kazakh-language music most people heard came from weddings and folk performances rather than commercial pop charts. Occidental pop, rock and Russian-language hip hop ruled the charts. So, when Azamat Zenkaev (AZ), Dulat Mukhamedkaliev (Zaq), Daniyar Kulumshin (Bala), Batyrkhan Malikov (Alem), and Azamat Ashmakyn (Ace) debuted as a group, they looked and sounded like nothing the local music scene had ever seen.

Their appearance sparked outrage. In Karaganda, a 2016 concert was canceled after protests. “We are against them because they dye their hair and wear earrings!” a demonstrator shouted, captured in the 2021 documentary Men Sen Emes (Sing Your Own Songs) by Katerina Suvorova. “No parent would want their son to look like a woman,” a conservative activist added. Even their producer, Yerbolat Bedelkhan, noted, “They shook up Kazakh show business with their unusual looks.”

And yet, their rise was unstoppable. Despite boycotts and online abuse, Ninety One topped national charts. Each video release became an event. Over time, their success helped make gender-fluid aesthetics more visible in Kazakhstan’s pop scene — and made singing in Kazakh fashionable again among young audiences.

But their aesthetics stood in sharp contrast to the state-promoted model of Kazakh masculinity.

Ninety One; image: JUZ Entertainment

Revival and Restriction: The State’s Masculine Ideal

In 2017, then-President Nursultan Nazarbayev launched Rukhani Zhangyru – a sweeping state program for “spiritual renewal.” Its goal was to forge a unified Kazakh national identity after decades of Soviet domination, largely by reigniting traditional values. Streets were renamed after historical khans, a National Dombra Day was established, and the country began shifting from Cyrillic to the Latin alphabet.

But the cultural revival came with a gender script. School textbooks were rewritten, according to a 2021 Rutgers University study, to cast masculinity as a blend of strength, rationality, and emotional restraint. The ideal Kazakh man – the Batyr – was reimagined as a stoic warrior of the steppes.

In this context, Ninety One’s aesthetics didn’t fit in. “Many thought Q-pop artists didn’t act like ‘real Kazakhs’,” Merey Otan, a musician and PhD candidate at Nazarbayev University told The Times of Central Asia. “Wearing makeup, earrings, or bright clothes, expressing emotions or sexuality – these all clashed with a rigid model of masculinity.”

Some other pop groups, however, had already challenged this model.

According to Nargiz Shukenova, director of the Batyrkhan Shukenov Foundation and producer of the encyclopedic, 91–23: The popular music of independent Kazakhstan, the Kazakh pop scene had been experimenting for decades. “To say pop started with Ninety One is inaccurate. Even during the Soviet era, it drew inspiration from Western bands such as The Beatles, Depeche Mode, and Earth, Wind & Fire.”

Orda, the pop group led by the producer Bedelkhan, was an early pioneer. “Because they wore earrings and had a style deemed too feminine, they were called ‘freaks’,” Shukenova recalls.

What changed with Ninety One was timing and resonance.

A Generation Looking for Air

“The youth wanted something that connected their roots to the modern world they live in,” Shukenova told TCA, and Ninety One struck that nerve. Urban, digital-native fans wanted to reclaim the Kazakh language and rediscover local folklore – without denying the parts of their identity shaped by the internet and globalization.

The band gave them all that. Fans named themselves “Eaglez”, after the Kazakh national emblem. They even coined the term “Q-pop” (short for Qazaqstan pop) in the Latin alphabet. Rapidly, each one of their clips went viral.

Their popularity grew so strong that even former haters came around. “Ex-anti-fans started listening,” notes Otan. “The fact that they sang almost exclusively in Kazakh helped promote the language and tied music to the national identity.”

For N.B., a member of Q-pop group ALPHA formed in 2019, Ninety One was a revelation. “My first impression was freedom,” he told TCA. “Q-pop isn’t traditional and that’s what I liked. In 2015, teens needed air. Q-pop gave us that.”

ALPHA; image: recentmusic.com

From Love Songs to Protest Anthems

At first, Ninety One mostly sang about love, self-confidence, and resilience. But in 2019, their tone shifted. The single, “Bari Biled,” tackled corruption, environmental degradation, and social injustice, striking a chord with young listeners disillusioned by broken systems. A year later came “Taboo,” a collaboration with rap collective Irina Kairatovna, whose sharp social commentary and gritty blend of Russian and Kazakh pushed underground energy into the mainstream.

“Young people love songs that address real issues,” observes Otan. And it’s not just in pop or rap. After the COVID-19 pandemic, new scenes flourished online.

“For artists, it used to be either patriotic or commercial music,” says Shukenova. “Social media created a third way.”

One example is Qazaq Indie, a label born on the platform VK in 2017. Its first breakout star was Samrattama, a long-haired singer-poet embodying the identity struggle shaping Kazakhstan’s music scene. His latest project, Barsakelmes – a collective hybrid performance mixing traditional and electronic music with the group Steppe Sons – quietly ventures into delicate territory. By exploring decolonization through Kazakh legends and the Aral Sea tragedy, he touches on a subject few artists have dared to explore. “I’m ‘decolonial’ in the sense that I’m changing my own paradigms, my ways of seeing,” he says.

Social criticism has become even more direct in tracks like “Obal oilar-ai” (“These Guilty Thoughts”), a collaboration among indie musicians such as Dudeontheguitar and Jeltoksan, addressing poverty, corruption, and everyday despair. Even punk has joined the wave. “We’re seeing all-female fem-punk bands like Krasniye Chulki (Red Stockings),” notes Otan. “Their raw energy challenges gender norms in a rock scene long dominated by men.”

FEMGAZE 2025 featuring Krasniye Chulki; image: @kair_fltt

Free to Sing, but Not Everything

But artistic freedom remains limited; criticism may be less virulent than in 2015, but it persists. “It’s less violent now, yet mindsets don’t change overnight,” say A.Boo, I and N.B. from ALPHA. Otan agrees: “If someone like Samrattama reached Ninety One’s level of fame, there would still be resistance, though weaker than ten years ago.”

As for freedom of expression, censorship is often indirect. “There’s no official censorship, but a lot of self-censorship,” Otan notes. She recalls seeing a band at the OYU Festival – an annual celebration of Kazakh art held since 2022 – perform a political song without lyrics, only as an instrumental. “It says a lot about the fear of speaking out,” she adds.

ALPHA deliberately stays away from politics. “It’s not our role,” they say.

The subject remains fraught. In December 2024, rapper Karim Asylbekov was charged with “hooliganism” after performing a song about social injustice. That same year, a comedian was briefly detained for “obscenity” after joking about President Tokayev’s “Zhana Kazakhstan” slogan.

Kazakhstan may have moved past the open outrage of 2015, but a quiet message still lingers in the cultural airwaves: Kazakhstani artists can make music – as long as they don’t make too much noise.