Saken Adilkhanuly Zhasuzakov (Kazakh: Сәкен Әділханұлы Жасұзақов, Säken Ädılhanūly Jasūzaqov, [sækʲen ædɘlχɑno̙ɫə ʐɑso̙zɑqəf]; born 27 October 1957) is a Kazakh politician and Colonel General in the Kazakh Ground Forces. He was Minister of Defense of Kazakhstan from September 2016 until August 2018.[1]

Saken Zhasuzakov
Сәкен Жасұзақов
Zhasuzakov in 2018
Director of the National Defense University
In office
7 August 2018 – 7 August 2019
PresidentNursultan Nazarbayev
Succeeded byLut Alchekenov
9th Minister of Defense
In office
13 September 2016 – 7 August 2018
PresidentNursultan Nazarbayev
Preceded byImangali Tasmagambetov
Succeeded byNurlan Ermekbaev
4th Chairman of the Joint Staff Committee
In office
11 March 2010 – 13 September 2016
PresidentNursultan Nazarbayev
Preceded byMukhtar Altynbayev
Succeeded byMurat Maikeyev
Personal details
Born (1957-10-27) 27 October 1957 (age 66)
South Kazakhstan Region, Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union
Military service
Allegiance Soviet Union
 Kazakhstan
Branch/service Soviet Army
 Kazakh Ground Forces
Years of service1978–2019
RankColonel General
Battles/warsSoviet–Afghan War

Biography

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Zhasuzakov (second from left) attending a ceremony organized by the Council of the CIS Defence Ministers.

He was born in Chaldar, a village in Southern Kazakhstan in 1957.[2][3] In 1978, Zhasuzakov graduated from the Alma-Ata Higher All-Arms Command School.[2] From September 1987 to June 1990 he was a pupil of the M. V. Frunze Military Academy.[2] In July 1994 he moved to Russia to attend the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces. In 1996, he was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan.

In 2003, he became First Deputy Commander of Land Forces, and that same year he became Commander of the Regional Command "East". In April 2009, Zhasuzakov was appointed the Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces. From 2013 to 2016, Zhasuzakov was the First Deputy Minister of Defence of Kazakhstan. He was appointed as Minister of Defense of Kazakhstan by Presidential Decree on 13 September 2016.[4][5]

He was replaced as defense minister on 7 August 2018 by Nurlan Ermekbaev.[6][7] He currently heads the National Defence University in Astana.[8] Exactly a year later, he retired from the military.

Awards

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USSR

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Kazakhstan

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  • Order of Dunk 1st Degree (2012)
  • Order of Dunk 2nd Degree (2001)
  • Medal "10 years of Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan"
  • Medal "10 Years of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan"
  • Medal "10 Years of the Constitution of Kazakhstan"
  • Medal "10 years of Astana"
  • Medal "20 Years of Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan"
  • Medal "20 Years of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan"
  • Medal "For Impeccable Service" 2nd and 3rd Degree
  • Medal "For Strengthening Military Cooperation"
  • Medal "20 Years of Public Prosecutor of the Republic of Kazakhstan"
  • Jubilee Medal "20 years of Internal Troops of Kazakhstan"

Foreign

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  •   Medal "50th Anniversary of the Mongolian People's Republic"
  •   Medal "Military Cooperation"
  •   Medal "5 years of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Tajikistan"
  •   Medal "15 Years of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Tajikistan"

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Kazakh President Appoints New Defense Minister". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 7 August 2018. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  2. ^ a b c "Sagintayev Bakytzhan Abdirovich - Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan". primeminister.kz. Retrieved 2017-05-13.
  3. ^ "Правительство Республики Казахстан - Ministry of Defence". www.government.kz. Retrieved 2017-05-13.
  4. ^ "Saken Zhasuzakov appointed as Minister of Defense of Kazakhstan". primeminister.kz. Retrieved 2017-05-13.
  5. ^ "Saken Zhasuzakov named Minister of Defense". www.inform.kz (in Russian). 13 September 2016. Retrieved 2017-05-13.
  6. ^ "Сакен Жасузаков получил новую должность". zakon.kz. 7 August 2018. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  7. ^ "Kazakh President Appoints New Defense Minister". rferl.org. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  8. ^ "Meeting with the leadership of Defence Ministry — Official site of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan". akorda.kz. Retrieved 2018-09-26.