According to the Ukrainian state project “I Want to Live”, since the beginning of 2025 alone, no less than 529 Kazakhstanis have signed contracts with the Russian armed forces to participate in the war against Ukraine. However, there is no even approximate information about how many Kazakhs are fighting on the side of Ukraine against Russia. No one wants to talk about their participation in military operations outside Kazakhstan - any mention of this fact can lead to criminal prosecution and inevitable punishment.
How guest workers become soldiers
Kazakh journalist Ayan Sharipbayev has also conducted his own investigation into the sending of Kazakhs to work in Russia as guest workers. He does not rule out the possibility that a significant number of them will eventually sign contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense. The Elmedia publication, where Sharipbaev works, found out back in the fall of last year that Russian recruiters in the Kazakh information space have become more active.
“We assume that this scheme for sending Kazakhs to war in Ukraine has been operating since 2023, and is now becoming especially noticeable. This is evident from the increased number of ads on social networks. There are now special sites where the conditions for signing a contract to participate in the war on the territory of Ukraine are directly described“, Sharipbaev told DV.
According to the journalist, his investigation has established from which places guest workers are recruited and sent to Russia - mainly from railway and bus stations. Elmedia correspondents went there and talked to people waiting in line in front of buses with tinted windows. Some of them did not hide that they were leaving for cities, from where they would then head west.
Who and how recruits mercenaries
In the ads from Russia specially prepared for the citizens of Kazakhstan, which are easy to find on the Internet, everything is extremely pragmatic. They guarantee a one-time salary of four million rubles (about 43 thousand euros), a monthly salary of 210,000 rubles - 2,250 euros, forgiveness of debts and loans in the amount of up to 10 million rubles - about 107,000 euros. In addition, there is a promise of payment of insurance benefits to relatives, bonuses for destroyed enemy equipment, as well as certificates of completed military service.
To understand why people from Kazakhstan sign contracts for military service in Russia, it should be said that the average salary in Kazakhstan is well known - according to official data, in the second quarter of 2025 it was only 67 thousand rubles - about 717 euros.
At the same time, Ukrainians are also engaged in recruiting Kazakhs. But they do this mainly through posts on social networks or through volunteers working in Ukraine. It is very rare to post ads in public places.
All mercenaries are waiting for punishment
„We are very concerned about the activation of recruiters from both Russia and Ukraine. The issue of recruiting our citizens for Afghanistan and Syria is still on the agenda. Therefore, special centers established in Kazakhstan are monitoring social networks and the media around the clock to search for mercenaries and participants in armed conflicts outside the country. Kazakhstan will not allow such people to live on its territory – all of them face mandatory punishment in the form of long terms behind bars“, an employee of the Kazakh special services, who requested anonymity, told DW.
According to him, work is also underway to uncover and block websites that publish advertisements for mercenaries, signals are being accepted from the population that supports the policy of neutral Kazakhstan, and the help of the tax authorities is also being relied on – to reveal those who suddenly became rich after trips to Russia and Ukraine.
The Criminal Code of Kazakhstan provides for five to nine years of imprisonment for intentional participation in armed conflicts outside the country. And if it is a proven case of mercenary activity, the penalty is from seven to 12 years of imprisonment and confiscation of property. If the death of people and other serious consequences of the actions of the mercenary are proven, the penalty is up to 20 years of imprisonment and confiscation of property, as well as deprivation of citizenship. According to official data, from 2022 to 2025, 92 criminal cases of this nature were filed in Kazakhstan. However, only three of them ended in a conviction: in one case, a member of the “Wagner” group received 4 years and six months of imprisonment, two others were sentenced to five years in prison - but without it being proven that they were mercenaries.
Author: Anatoly Weisskopf