Anna Sazonova, a student of the People's Friendship University of Russia expressed concern over escalating nationalism in Ukraine and asked whether a similar scenario could unfold in Kazakhstan if Mr. Nazarbayev left his presidential post. “There are concerns over growing nationalist sentiments in Kazakhstan’s south. And the incumbent president Nursultan Nazarbayev seem to be the only deferring factor. Should we expect a Ukraine-like scenario if the President steps down? Has Russia got a strategy to deal with this possible scenario? And what are the prospects of Eurasian integration (and joining of the two countries together)?” she asked President Putin at the forum.
“Kazakhstan is ten-fold smaller than Russia in terms of population, but it is still a big country. And I am confident that a majority of its population supports development of close ties with Russia.
When the USSR broke under its own weight — thank you Presidents Reagan and Bush — the Russians were glad to get out of those ‘stan SSRs at last, and everyone there who wasn’t transplanted Russian, Korean, etc etc, was glad to see them go. The only Russian interest in Kazakhstan is the space rocket launch facility.