ASTANA – Kazakh Defense Minister Ruslan Zhaksylykov briefed President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on the outcomes of the work in the first half of 2023 and the steps taken to strengthen the country’s defense at a July 25 meeting, reported the Akorda press service.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev with Ruslan Zhaksylykov. Photo credit: Akorda.
Zhaksylykov informed about a new format of military training of the Kazakh army, with a change in its cycle and model on improving the management skills of commanders.
The minister spoke about the provision of permanent readiness units with weapons and military equipment and their transition to mobile and modular components of domestic production.
After giving a separate report on the peacekeeping activities of the Armed Forces, Zhaksylykov elaborated on the digitization of information on conscripts and those who have undergone compulsory military service.
He said that the modernization of information systems integrated with the databases of other government agencies enabled switching services such as conscription and military registration and military card issuance to an electronic format.
According to Zhaksylykov, 2,500 inductees received loan deferment, and 1,500 former conscripts were enrolled in higher institutions to get preferential education.
Nearly 700 ex-conscripts gained in-demand professions such as driver, repairman, machinist, locksmith, and cook.
Following the meeting, President Tokayev gave instructions on improving the military readiness of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan.
One of the military equipment being tested in Kazakhstan is a Turkish-built Anka drone. If the testing succeeds, the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) will enter service, stated Sarbaz, the Kazakh Defense Ministry’s outlet.
According to Shokhan Musabekov, the head of the center for combat training and combat use of UAVs, test flights are one of the stages prior to their utilization.
“Experimental military operation is scheduled for August and will last until mid-March 2024,” he said.
