Kadyrov has been among the most vocal supporters of Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine. Thousands of "Kadyrovtsy", an armed militia formally integrated in Russia’s law enforcement, but de-facto loyal to Kadyrov, have been fighting in Ukraine

The Kazakh government has long prioritized projecting an image of stability as an essential driver of investment and legitimacy for foreign and domestic audiences rather than actually addressing underlying sources of unrest. These perceptions of stability have been shattered by the January events and the spillover effects of sanctions.