Washington — Kazakhstan is moving ahead with a plan to build new ammunition manufacturing capacity, including production aligned with NATO standards, a shift that has drawn public criticism in Moscow and underscores how defense-industrial choices in Central Asia are increasingly viewed through a geopolitical lens.
Russian lawmaker Alexey Zhuravlev, first deputy chair of the State Duma’s defense committee, described the move as “unfriendly” in comments reported by Gazeta, arguing it signaled Kazakhstan could eventually move away from Russian weapons models in favor of Western ones.
The program has been described in secondary reporting as a roughly $1 billion effort and as a major shift for Kazakhstan, which for years has had limited domestic production not only of artillery shells and mines, but also basic small-arms ammunition, according to UNITED24. That gap, according to accounts cited in the reporting, has left the Kazakh armed forces reliant on inherited Soviet-era depots located in Kazakhstan and on supplies from Russia and other former Soviet republics.
ASPAN project: four planned plants, phased timeline
The factory construction program, referred to as the ASPAN project in Russian reporting, calls for four new plants to produce artillery ammunition and mines, with output spanning both “legacy-type” munitions and NATO-standard ammunition, Gazeta reported.
A senior Kazakh military official, cited as speaking to RTVI in the reporting summarized by UNITED24, said the lack of local production meant Kazakhstan’s combat readiness depended critically on Soviet-era stockpiles and external supply, and argued that building an independent ammunition manufacturing base had become extremely important for national security in the current geopolitical environment.
The first facility is expected to come online in 2027, with additional plants to follow in later phases, according to UNITED24.
Moscow’s criticism centers on alignment and future weapons choices
In Moscow, Zhuravlev framed the NATO-standard element as an indicator of longer-term alignment. He argued Kazakhstan appeared to be preparing to abandon Russian weapons models in the future and replace them with Western ones, and said Russia should respond, according to Gazeta.
Zhuravlev also pointed to Kazakhstan’s historical engagement with NATO-linked frameworks, including joining the North Atlantic Cooperation Council in 1992 and signing the Partnership for Peace agreement in 1994, and questioned NATO’s interest in Kazakhstan by referencing the country’s shared border with Russia, Gazeta reported.
Balancing act: industrial diversification alongside political ties
The development comes as Kazakhstan has continued to publicly emphasize its relationship with Russia. In mid-November, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev reaffirmed close ties with Moscow during a state visit in which President Vladimir Putin received him at the Kremlin, according to an intellinews report.
What is known, and what is not
The available reporting provides a broad outline of the plan — four plants under the ASPAN project, a phased timeline beginning in 2027, and an intention to manufacture both legacy and NATO-standard ammunition. Key operational details have not been laid out in the accessible sources, including which calibers will be produced to NATO standards, expected annual output, project contractors, and whether production is aimed solely at Kazakhstan’s needs or also export markets.
