Kazakhstan hosted an elaborate military parade to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Allied victory in World War II and Defenders of the Fatherland Day.

“The Great Patriotic War posed an immense challenge for all of humanity, including Kazakhstan. Those harrowing times demonstrated that war leads only to grief and loss, while peace is an invaluable asset,” said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Wednesday, addressing the thousands present for the parade.

“In our nation, the Batyrlarğa tağzym march will be held, honoring Kazakhstani soldiers who fought at the front. The descendants of participants from one of the bloodiest wars in history will carry their ancestors’ portraits through the streets,” he added.

Similar to other Central Asian countries that fought in World War II as part of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan officially observes Victory Day on May 9. However, this year’s commemorative parade was held earlier to allow President Tokayev to attend the significant celebrations in Moscow on Friday.

“Since 2022, Tokayev has regularly participated in the Victory Day events in Red Square alongside other Central Asian leaders. This issue holds significant importance for him,” commented Temur Umarov, an analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

“Central Asian leaders recognize that Victory Day is vital to Putin’s perspective, and declining an invitation would be perceived as a personal affront,” Umarov further explained.

This is just one instance of Russia’s influence over Victory Day celebrations in Kazakhstan.

The decision to organize a military parade separate from the holiday raised far fewer concerns among the public than the Batyrlarğa tağzym march, which aims to serve as Kazakhstan’s counterpart to Russia’s Immortal Regiment.

Established as a grassroots initiative, the Immortal Regiment first took place in the Siberian city of Tomsk in 2012 before being co-opted by Russian officials and evolving into a worldwide event.

The original intention of the march was to enable descendants of deceased veterans to engage with their heritage by symbolically marching in honor of their family members. Critics argue that the Kremlin’s appropriation of the event turned it into a propaganda instrument that exaggerates Russia’s role in defeating Nazi Germany and promotes narratives of imperial restoration.

Another contentious issue is the frequent display of the orange-and-black St. George ribbons at Immortal Regiment events around the globe.

A symbol of World War II victory popularized by Russia, this ribbon has been associated with pro-Russian sentiments in Ukraine since the onset of conflict in 2014 and has become emblematic of the Kremlin’s military aggression.

In Central Asia and the Caucasus, the ribbon is linked to Russia’s colonial past long before the Ukraine invasion, having adorned Imperial Russian soldiers as a mark of their military conquests.

This year, most local authorities in Kazakhstan have prohibited Immortal Regiment events, citing a lack of accessible public spaces, or have shifted the celebrations online.

The announcement of the ban triggered a flurry of deepfake videos featuring public officials and notable journalists calling for participation in the marches despite the official prohibition and the risk of arrest.

“It seems that Russian propaganda is utterly desperate as nobody wants to join their cause,” remarked journalist Asem Zhapisheva, who appeared in one such AI-generated clip.

“I want to clarify: May 9 is not a celebration for me but a day of remembrance. I have lost four family members in World War II. However, I did not invite anyone to a celebration for fans of the striped ribbon—it is not a significant occasion,” she expressed in a Telegram post.

Authorities in Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan, ultimately consented to the Batyrlarğa tağzym rally following advocacy from local veteran organizations.

A similar event will be conducted in Semey, a city in northeast Kazakhstan.

Kazakh activist Zharkyn Kurentaev believes that the government’s decision to host an equivalent of the Immortal Regiment could signify a message to Moscow.

“The authorities likely chose to hold [the rally] in response to prior events, including Lavrov’s criticism of Tokayev and Putin’s appeal,” Kurentaev informed U.S.-funded broadcaster Current Time. “This was important from a diplomatic standpoint.”

Analyst Umarov thinks that the relationship with Russia was not a primary factor in the decision.

“Russia perceives any efforts by Central Asian nations to reconsider shared holidays and values as attempts to distance themselves from Moscow or even reject it,” Umarov told The Moscow Times.

“However, Central Asia is not trying to convey any message to Moscow regarding the Immortal Regiment marches, whether allowing them or banning them. This is fundamentally a matter of domestic politics and social stability,” Umarov added, referencing neighboring Kyrgyzstan, where the Immortal Regiment will be supported by officials.

Efforts to reinterpret World War II commemorations in Kazakhstan align with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. That year, authorities suggested renaming the Immortal Regiment rally and using a blue ribbon adorned with Kazakh designs as the official symbol. Still, the St. George ribbon was frequently visible at that year’s event.

Bota Sharipzhan, an activist from the Oyan, Qazaqstan! civil rights movement, believes that “only a small segment of the population” in Kazakhstan has started to view May 9 celebrations differently since the Ukraine invasion.

“Most still perceive the ‘Great Patriotic War’ and the conflict in Ukraine as ideologically distinct wars. For many, it’s not clear that Russian fascism is intertwined with pobedobesie [victory celebration],” Sharipzhan stated to The Moscow Times. “I know individuals opposed to the war in Ukraine who still participate on May 9 carrying their grandfather’s portrait.”

At the outset of World War II, approximately 178,000 residents of Kazakhstan were enlisted in the Red Army, with an additional 1.2 million called to arms as the war progressed. Over 600,000 draftees—around 11.2% of Kazakhstan’s population at the time—lost their lives in the conflict.

Sharipzhan emphasizes that iconic Russian songs from the World War II era, such as “Smuglyanka” and “Katyusha,” along with movies about that period and tales of Kazakh heroes like Bauyrzhan Momyshuly, Aliya Moldagulova, and Manshuk Mametova, have significantly shaped the upbringing of several generations of Kazakhs.

“I still cannot imagine how we would transform May 9 from a ‘celebration’ into a ‘day of mourning’ in Kazakhstan,” Sharipzhan reflected.

“If May 9 is acknowledged at all, it should be done modestly: laying flowers at the Eternal Flame, sharing stories about relatives who fought in the war on social media, and discussing the devastating impact of World War II on us,” she concluded. “That would suffice.”