At one point, Europeans (mostly Russians, Germans, Ukrainians) were more than half the population of Kazakhstan.
I believe that after the fall of the Soviet Union the population was well more than 40% European. That percentage has shrunk every year.
Additionally, "radical" Islam has traditionally not been very big in Kazakhstan and Russian atheism was a bigger deal than in some of the neighboring countries.
Across Central Asia (Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistanm Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan), political Islam has been growing for many years, often as a reaction against the Soviet-aligned, the corrupt leaders, etc.
They are all pretty much led by authoritarian strongman types, there's a lot of corruption, and political Islam is becoming a bigger deal. Kazakhstan, I think, has generally been in better shape, but who knows what happens next.
Side note, say what you will about the Soviet Union, and there's a lot to say, it's very interesting how many of their leaders, and the leaders in the post-Soviet Republics, were trained engineers.
At one point, Europeans (mostly Russians, Germans, Ukrainians) were more than half the population of Kazakhstan.
I believe that after the fall of the Soviet Union the population was well more than 40% European. That percentage has shrunk every year.
Additionally, "radical" Islam has traditionally not been very big in Kazakhstan and Russian atheism was a bigger deal than in some of the neighboring countries.
Across Central Asia (Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistanm Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan), political Islam has been growing for many years, often as a reaction against the Soviet-aligned, the corrupt leaders, etc.
They are all pretty much led by authoritarian strongman types, there's a lot of corruption, and political Islam is becoming a bigger deal. Kazakhstan, I think, has generally been in better shape, but who knows what happens next.
Side note, say what you will about the Soviet Union, and there's a lot to say, it's very interesting how many of their leaders, and the leaders in the post-Soviet Republics, were trained engineers.