Army - The Times Of Central Asia

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Uzbekistan Leads in Central Asia’s Military Strength Rankings

U.S. News recently published its list of the world’s strongest militaries, with Russia, the U.S., and Israel in the top three. The Times of Central Asia reviewed this rating in the Central Asian countries section. Uzbekistan ranks 19th globally in military strength, the highest in the region. However, U.S. News ranks the country 74th out of 78 in its “Best Countries” category, citing an economy still largely driven by cotton. Uzbekistan remains a major global player in cotton, as the fifth-largest exporter and seventh-largest producer worldwide. Kazakhstan, Central Asia’s largest economy, ranks 22nd for military strength and is noted for its vast reserves of fossil fuels, uranium, and other minerals. Much of Kazakhstan’s economic growth has been oil-driven, and the country ranks 83rd on the “Best Countries” list. U.S. News ranked countries based on cultural influence, entrepreneurship, heritage, openness to business, quality of life, and social purpose. In a separate ranking, the Global Firepower Military Index for 2024 lists Kazakhstan as Central Asia’s top military power, placing it at 58th worldwide. Uzbekistan has fallen by three places since last year’s rankings — the only country in the region not to show an improvement — and is now in the 65th position. In the bottom half of the table, Turkmenistan lies in 83rd place, while Kyrgyzstan is 100th. Global Firepower puts Tajikistan in 107th place, making it the region’s weakest army.

Kazakhstan May Manufacture Turkish Bayraktar Drones

A delegation headed by Kazakhstan's Minister of Defense , Colonel General Ruslan Zhaksylykov, attended the IV International Exhibition of Defense and Aerospace Equipment SAHA EXPO-2024 opening ceremony in Istanbul. The event brought together leading representatives of the military-industrial complex of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. It demonstrated the latest developments, including automatic troop and battle management systems, robotic systems, communications, air defense, radio reconnaissance, electronic warfare, radio countermeasures, unmanned aerial vehicles, and laser technologies. During the exhibition, Zhaksylykov held talks with Turkish Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler and Chairman of the Defense Industry Agency Haluk Görgün. He also met with Mohammed bin Mubarak Fadel Al Mazroui, UAE Minister of State for Defense Affairs. Special attention was paid to the talks with Baykar Defense CEO Haluk Bayraktar. The parties agreed on developing a roadmap for the localization of the production of tactical unmanned aircraft systems and barrage munitions at the operational level in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan is actively developing the production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with the involvement of foreign partners. One of the significant projects is the joint production of Anka drones with Turkey, which will start in 2024. The agreement between Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Kazakhstan Engineering provides for technology transfer and the creation of an assembly line, allowing Kazakhstan to produce drones independently in the future. In addition to Turkey, Kazakhstan cooperates with South Korea and China on drones. In 2023, Petropavlovsk established local drone production using components from China. Such steps contribute to the development of Kazakhstan's defense industry and reduce dependence on imports.

Military Service Legislation Crime Armed Forces Defense Army public opinion

Death in Peacetime: Navigating Challenges and Responses in Kazakhstan’s Armed Forces

Deputies in the Mazhilis have raised the issue of violent deaths and suicides in the armed forces, whilst sections of the public have also called for the army to be converted to a contract basis and the draft age to be raised. Alarming statistics In late September, Konstantin Avershin, a member of the Mazhilis Committee on International Affairs, Defense, and Security, spoke about the results of an investigation into suicides in law enforcement and security agencies. Over the past four years, 86 suicides have occurred in across said agencies, Avershin stated, with this data pertaining to the Ministry of Defense, the National Guard of the Interior Ministry, the Border Service of the National Security Committee, the State Protection Service, and the Ministry of Emergency Situations. “In four years, 40 suicides have been registered in the Armed Forces. In 2021 - 10, 2022 - 7, 2023 - 12, and 2024 - 11. By category these were: officers - 7, contract servicemen - 22, cadets - 4, conscript soldiers - 7. Pretrial investigations have been completed in 34 cases, and final procedural decisions have been made. In none of them were signs found of 'leading' to suicide,” according to Avershin. The proceedings in these cases were terminated due to a lack of corpus delicti. Despite this, based on the results of official investigations, disciplinary measures were taken against 180 persons: eleven were relieved of their posts, two were demoted, and 167 service personnel received various disciplinary sanctions in line with their rank. On October 8, Avershin raised another problem: the poor quality of food being provided to service personnel. According to his data, the funds allotted for rations per soldier is 2,250 tenge ($4.6) per day. By comparison, chess players, sport fishermen, ship modelers, and players of togyzumalak (a national board game) and checkers are entitled to 6,276.4 tenge ($12.9) per day, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Sport's regulations for 2024. “A soldier cannot be fed almost three times worse than a checkers player,” Avershin stated. Earlier, MP Nartai Sarsengaliyev asked Defense Minister Ruslan Zhaksylykov about the current situation in Kazakhstan's army. The deputy highlighted numerous high-profile cases, stating that over the past three years, 270 servicemen have died in Kazakhstan. “In August 2023, a commanding officer beat a recruit with a chair in a military unit. The case was closed after the parties reconciled. In June 2024, in one of the military units in the Zhambyl region, a soldier who had been in the army for only one month was admitted to intensive care in an unconscious state. The situation caused shocked society. National Guard soldier Yerbayan Mukhtar has been unconscious for five months after suffering a head injury. Those in charge say that 'Yerbayan 'fell in the bathroom and sustained a head injury.' Who would believe this? As a result of the injury, half of the soldier's skull was removed. Now, he needs constant care. Now his parents are taking Yerbayan abroad for treatment,” Sarsengaliyev stated. In...

MP: Kazakhstan’s Army Not Ready to Switch to a Contractual Basis

Kazakh Mazhilis deputy Konstantin Avershin has explained why the authorities do not support the petition to abolish compulsory military service. Avershin opposed the idea, stating that compulsory service trains citizens to handle firearms and live in barracks conditions. According to him, in Soviet times, this was taught in schools through initial military training, but today, there is no such practice besides military service. Avershin stated that Kazakhstanis must be prepared to defend the country, given its vast territory and resources. He also emphasized that the country's population is small, about 20 million people, so it is crucial that as many citizens as possible have the skills to defend the nation. Avershin also criticized the idea of voluntary service on a contract basis, saying that Kazakhstan's budget would not be able to support an entirely professional army. He said the country focuses on social needs, transitioning to a professional army will take time, and that modernizing the military is one of the key tasks set by President Tokayev. “We are working closely with the Armed Forces," Avershin stated. "Every case of a serviceman's deaths is taken under control. I speak as a representative of the specialized committee.” As previously reported, activists in Kazakhstan have demanded that mandatory military service be ended, publishing a petition in support of this demand. One of the the reasons behind this was recent tragic cases among servicemen, which, according to the authors of the petition, revealed severe problems in the army. The petition emphasizes that the main issues are hazing and non-statutory relations, which exert intense pressure on conscripts, causing psychological trauma and even suicide. The authors also voiced concern about inadequate training, stating that modern challenges and technologies can only be effectively tackled by professional soldiers, not conscripts. In recent years, Kazakhstan has witnessed a disturbing trend in the army, with an increase in suicides among soldiers. In 2022, President Tokayev ordered an investigation to identify the causes of these incidents, as the problem of hazing and psychological pressure remains one of the key causes of tragic incidents in the military. Such incidents have not ceased despite the measures taken, causing increasing concern among both the public and the authorities.

Kyrgyzstan Proposes Discounted Education to Those Who Have Served in the Army

A draft law has been submitted for public discussion in Kyrgyzstan that would give citizens who have completed military service the right to preferential admission to primary, secondary, and higher education institutions, and a 50% discount on tuition fees. The document is published on the Jogorku Kenesh website. The authors note that this project recognizes military personnel's contribution to national security, and facilitates their successful adaptation to civilian life. The bill emphasizes that the educational benefits will help former soldiers make up for the time they could have spent on their studies. In addition, the proposed measures are seen as an incentive for young people to enlist in the military, which, according to the authors, will increase the overall level of professionalism of soldiers. After completing their service, many soldiers struggle to integrate into civilian life. The tuition discount will help them gain the necessary skills for successful employment, which will, in turn, positively impact the qualifications of the country's workforce. Similar laws on educational benefits for veterans are in place in several countries. The U.S. has a "GI Bill" program that assists veterans in paying university tuition and job training. The Philippines also provides benefits for veterans, including health care. In the U.K., veterans can receive discounts on tuition fees at several universities, especially in specialized programs. Post-Soviet countries also have laws to provide educational benefits for those who have served in the military—for example, Russia's program discounts university tuition for veterans and military personnel. Kazakhstan also benefits military personnel through tuition discounts and other educational opportunities. Moldova continues to improve its education legislation, and certain changes include support for veterans and their access to educational resources.

Army State Budget Defense Military Finance

Tajikistan to Increase Defense Budget

Tajik authorities plan to increase the 2025 defense, law enforcement, and judiciary budget to 4.7 billion somoni ($446 million); a rise equivalent to $92 million compared to the $354 million spent in 2024. As a percentage, spending on the army and security forces will rise to 2.8 percent of GDP, up 0.2 percent from the previous year. In adherence to the State Secrets Act, data on the breakdown of the budget remains confidential. However, issues concerning the efficient spending of allocated funds have recently come to light. In August 2024, the Agency for State Financial Control and Anti-Corruption reported that over 120 million TJS ($11.3m), intended for clothing and food for servicemen, had been embezzled from the Defense Ministry. In response, a criminal case was opened against 52 suspects, including ministry officials. According to documentation of increased military spending in Central Asia by the Stockholm Institute for Peace Research (SIPRI), in 2023, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan's expenditure on defense totalled $1.8 billion. Figures for Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan remain unknown. The growth of the defense budget in the region is due to several factors, and in particular, border conflicts between Central Asian countries, the unstable situation in Afghanistan, and the war in Ukraine which have forced the region's states to strengthen their defense and revise strategic priorities regarding security. Changes in the geopolitical environment have also impacted military expenditure. Whilst Central Asian states previously relied heavily on Russia for security, the number of external partners has increased significantly. Alongside Russia, countries such as Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United States, Germany, France, China, and Belarus, are beginning to play an essential role in the region's security. They also supply arms and military equipment. Experts note that increasing defense budgets, while necessary to maintain stability, cannot solve all security-related problems, and for the foreseeable future, political instability and internal factors remain severe challenges for Central Asian countries.