President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev has approved an updated military doctrine for Kazakhstan that officials say reflects modern conditions having an impact on military threats and the security of the Central Asian nation.
According to Kazakh Defense Ministry, which announced the approval on October 24, the new doctrine "provides for the development of special operations forces to increase the combat potential of the armed forces and to expand their interaction with special-purpose units of other state bodies."
The doctrine notes that Kazakhstan does not consider any other states as an adversary.
Toqaev, who is standing for reelection next month, first talked about updating the doctrine in September 2021, saying it needed to be updated to help a reorganized armed forces to adapt to new conditions, including cyberattacks launched by external forces.
The move comes nine months after Toqaev invited peacekeepers from the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) to help stabilize the country after an unprecedented wave of deadly unrest in the oil-rich nation that was sparked by a fuel price hike.
It also comes amid a war in Ukraine following Russia's invasion of its neighbor in late February.
CSTO members have largely withheld support for Moscow's invasion, analysts say, because of risks to their own sovereignty. They are also trying to avoid getting caught up in Western sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.