Assessing potential Russian irredentism and separatism in Kazakhstan’s northern oblasts

The presence of co-ethnic peoples within a borderland constitutes the core of most cases of irredentism, or the subjective perception that specific international borders fail to appropriately delimit national territory. Russian President Vladimir Putin publically rationalized his recent annexation of Crimea and cross-border interventions in Georgia and Eastern Ukraine through the alleged persecution of Russians in neighboring states (specifically Russkiy Mir). While much attention has been focused on the cases of outright invasion, it is important to evaluate other borderlands as sites of potential Russian actions. Central Asia's north-central steppe possesses a long history of shifting borders and demographics, which has given rise to varied claims to "rightful ownership." This paper critically assesses potential irredentism and separatism in Kazakhstan's northern oblasts.