Defender of the Fatherland Day ( Kazakh: Отан Қорғаушы күні, ''Otan Qorğauşy künı'') is a national holiday celebrated annually on May 7, commemorating the founding of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan. The event is marked by

military parade A military parade is a formation of military personnels whose movement is restricted by close-order manoeuvering known as Drill team, drilling or marching. Large military parades are today held on major holidays and military events around the ...

s, fireworks and ceremonies all around the country. The holiday is perceived in society as "a men’s day" and is considered to be the Kazakh analogue to the International Women’s Day. On May 7, 1992, the President of Kazakhstan

Nursultan Nazarbayev Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev (born 6 July 1940) is a Kazakhstani politician who served as the first president of Kazakhstan from 1991 to 2019. He also held the special title of Elbasy from 2010 to 2022 and chairman of the Security Council of ...

signed a decree on the establishment of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In October 2012, President Nazarbayev signed a further

decree A decree is a law, legal proclamation, usually issued by a head of state, judge, monarch, royal figure, or other relevant Authority, authorities, according to certain procedures. These procedures are usually defined by the constitution, Legislativ ...

giving the holiday a status as a national holiday and enshrining it into law. National celebrations are usually led by the President of Kazakhstan, the Minister of Defense and the Chief of the General Staff.

Commemorations

2005

A festive parade of troops on Defender of the Fatherland Day in 2005 was dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the end of the

Great Patriotic War The Eastern Front, also known as the Great Patriotic War (term), Great Patriotic War in the Soviet Union and its successor states, and the German–Soviet War in modern Germany and Ukraine, was a Theater (warfare), theatre of World War II ...

(known as the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

in the West). The parade was held at the square in front of the Otan Qorgaushylar Monument. 340 veterans with the Battle Banners of military units that served in the

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...

marched in the column, as well as parade crews of 3,500 servicemen. The parade involved about 200 units of modern military equipment, 32 aircraft and helicopters. The report of the commander of the parade, First Deputy Minister of Defense Bulat Darbekov was received by defense minister Mukhtar Altynbaev.

2013

2013 celebrated the 21st anniversary of the founding of the Kazakh Armed Forces. It was held at the Otar Military Base. Saule Aitpayeva was promoted to the rank of General, becoming first female general since Kazakhstan gained independence. The Kazakh defence ministry differentiated the parade from past ones by calling it a " Battle Parade" (Боевой парад), saying that Kazakh battle parades showcase the military through conducting ceremonial combat exercises during the ceremony. According to Roger McDermott, an analyst at the

Jamestown Foundation The Jamestown Foundation is a Washington, D.C.–based non-partisan defense policy think tank. Founded in 1984 as a platform to support Soviet defectors, its stated mission is to inform and educate policy makers about events and trends, which ...

, the parade was unusual in that it went against the precedent for Kazakh military parades, saying that the “pomp and ceremony” of military parade conceal deep processes in the military and that the battle parade shows that the national authorities are trying modernize the military to the "high technologies and standards of the 21st century".

2014

2014 celebrated the 22nd anniversary of the founding of the Kazakh Armed Forces. The parade commander was Lieutenant General

Murat Maikeyev Murat Jaleluly Maikeyev (, ''Mūrat Jälelūly Maikeev''; born 9 November 1959) is a Kazakh military figure who served as the Chief of the General Staff (Kazakhstan), Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan fro ...

, who was the Commander-in-Chief of the

Kazakh Ground Forces The Kazakh Ground Forces (, ; ) is the land Military branch, service branch of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan. It is one of the three uniformed military services, and is the most senior branch of the Kazakh military in order of pr ...

. Reporting to President

was Kazakhstan's Defense Minister Serik Akhmetov. 2,000 soldiers, 56 air units, and 250 defense vehicles took part in the parade.

2015

2015 celebrated the 23rd anniversary of the Kazakh Armed Forces and the

platinum jubilee A platinum jubilee is a celebration held to mark an anniversary. Among Monarchy, monarchies, it usually refers to a 70th anniversary. The most recent monarch to celebrate a platinum jubilee is Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and the ...

(70th anniversary) of the

. Noting the timing of the parade with the anniversary, President Nazarbayev said that it "shows the continuity of military traditions between the World War II winners and the current generation of defenders of our land." Minister of Defence Imangali Tasmagambetov accompanied President Nazarbayev in his inspection of the troops during the parade. An exact copy of the Victory Banner, was delivered to Astana from the Museum of Great Patriotic War in

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

. It consisted of two parts – historic and contemporary, with the former being represented by troops depicting Kazakh field units of the

, including the 72nd Guards Rifle Division that was raised in Akmolinsk (now Astana) in 1942. The legendary Katyusha rocket launcher was presented at the parade for the first time. Military pilots performed aerobatics singly and as part of aerobatic teams, and also built the number "70", which symbolizes the anniversary of the Great Victory.

2017

Celebrated the

silver jubilee Silver Jubilee marks a 25th anniversary. The anniversary celebrations can be of a wedding anniversary, the 25th year of a monarch's reign or anything that has completed or is entering a 25-year mark. Royal Silver Jubilees since 1750 Note: This ...

of the founding of the Kazakh military. The parade inspector was the

Minister of Defence A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divid ...

Colonel General Saken Zhasuzakov and the parade commander was the Commander in Chief of the

, Major General

Murat Bektanov Murat Käribaiūly Bektanov () is a Kazakh military leader and was the Minister of Defence. He previously served as the Chief of the General Staff and Commander-in-Chief of the Kazakh Ground Forces. Early life and career Born in the village ...

. More than 5,000 servicemen, around 300 units of military machinery and 70 military jets took part in the parade.

2018

Celebrated the 26th anniversary of the founding of the Kazakh Armed Forces. President Nazarbayev announced the creation of a new branch of the armed forces designed to combat cyber threats. It was the first parade at the Otar Military Base in 5 years. An exhibition of military equipment was unveiled at the base.

2020

The only major commemoration of the holiday to be cancelled in 2020 was the parade, due to honor the 75th anniversary of the Second World War. The cancellation was by order of President

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev Kassym-Jomart Kemeluly Tokayev (born 17 May 1953) is a Kazakhstani politician and diplomat who has served as the second president of Kazakhstan since 2019. He previously served as Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Prime Minister from 1999 to 2002 ...

and was due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Kazakhstan. The State Philharmonic of Nur-Sultan announced on the eve of the holiday its intention to hold an online concert entitled ''Yel Yelinin Korgany'' (The stronghold of the people) in honor of the holiday.

2025

2025 celebrated the 33rd anniversary of the Kazakh Armed Forces and the 80th anniversary of the

. In attendance was

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam The general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (), simply and informally the party general secretary or just general secretary (, TBT), is the contemporary title for the holder of the highest office within the Commu ...

Tô Lâm Tô Lâm (; born 10 July 1957) is a Vietnamese politician and former police officer who has served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) since August 2024 and the 13th p ...

and his wife Ngô Phương Ly, who visited Astana on a state visit from 6-7 May.

Gallery

File:2А36 с тягачом-машиной управления огня.JPG, File:Бронеразведывательная машина SandCat.JPG, File:ТРК Точка на военном параде в Астане 7 мая 2015 года.JPG, File:Линкольн-Кабриолет (5).jpg, File:Бойцы НацГвардии Казахстана с ПП-19-01.jpg, File:ТОС-1А «Солнцепёк» на военном параде в Астане 7 мая 2015 года (2).JPG,

References

{{Kazakh Armed Forces

External links

Youtube: 2013 Defender of the Fatherland Day Parade

Youtube: 2014 Defender of the Fatherland Day Parade

Youtube: 2015 Defender of the Fatherland and Victory Day Parade

Youtube: 2017 Defender of the Fatherland Day Parade

Youtube: 2018 Defender of the Fatherland Day Parade

Youtube: Astana will host a military parade for the 25th anniversary of Kazakhstan Armed Forces
Armed Forces days Military of Kazakhstan Public holidays in Kazakhstan 2012 establishments in Kazakhstan Men in Kazakhstan