Baku, Azerbaijan, May 7
By Elena Kosolapova - Trend:
Kazakhstan held a military parade devoted to the Defender of the Fatherland Day on May 7, the Kazakh presidency reported.
The parade was held in the city Astana in the Kazak Eli Square (country of Kazakhs).
Over 2,500 soldiers and officers, nearly 200 pieces of equipment and weapons were involved in the military parade. Some part of equipment presented in the Kazakh Eli parade was either modernized or produced in Kazakhstan's defense and industrial enterprises.
Parade crews of the country's Defense Ministry, Interior Ministry, Ministry of Emergency Situations, National Security Committee and the Republican Guard of Kazakhstan participated in the celebration of the Defender of the Fatherland Day.
Kazakh President in his opening address congratulated Defenders of the Fatherland and all Kazakh people on the holiday.
"Over the years of independence, we created a professional army, approved military doctrine which meets the interests of the country. Our sacred land is protected in the sky, on land and in water," Nursulatan Nazarbayev said.
The President stressed that Kazakhstan has friendly relations with all the neighboring countries, but the army should be always ready to combat.
"Fulfill you sacred duty honorably. Your main task - to protect the tranquility of the native land, stand on the protection of our independence. You should always be an example of honor, responsibility, patriotism for all generations of Kazakhstan," Nazarbayev said addressing Defenders of the Fatherland.
Today's parade is another opportunity to show the strength, high morale and proficiency of the Kazakh army, the president said.