Photo: kaktus.media
Starting July 1, salaries for officers of Kyrgyzstan’s security forces will be increased by 35 percent, with the same raise taking effect for contract-based military personnel on September 1. President Sadyr Japarov made the announcement during his address commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, according to the presidential press service.
The president emphasized that this pay raise is not merely financial support, but a recognition of the selfless work and sleepless nights of those guarding the nation’s borders and defending its people. He added that all borders are now officially demarcated, with fencing work already underway.
“We’ve proven to the world that even the most complex disputes can be resolved peacefully,” Japarov said.
According to the president, the defense budget has increased by more than 400 percent since 2020. The Kyrgyz army is being equipped with modern weaponry, military bases and garrisons are undergoing infrastructure upgrades, and logistical support is being strengthened. He also noted increases in housing stipends and salaries to ensure the well-being of military families.
Much of Japarov’s speech was dedicated to honoring World War II veterans and home front workers. He called the Second World War “the greatest tragedy in human history,” noting that nearly all able-bodied men from Central Asia were drafted. In Kyrgyzstan, one in four citizens served on the front against Nazi Germany—half of whom never returned, and many were left wounded or disabled.
“We proudly remember our ancestors, who stood shoulder to shoulder with people of all Soviet nations,” he said. “They demonstrated to the world the very essence of heroism and courage inherited from the great Manas.”
More than 360,000 Kyrgyz citizens—about a quarter of the population at the time—were sent to the front, though recent studies suggest the real number was even higher, Japarov added.
He also honored the contributions of those who supported the war effort at home, noting that during 1941–1945, Kyrgyzstan trained thousands of specialists including gunners, mortar operators, riflemen, nurses, and medics.
Japarov announced a new decree under which WWII veterans, war-disabled individuals, concentration camp survivors, recipients of the “For the Defense of Leningrad” medal, and other designated groups will receive a monthly stipend of 10,000 soms (approximately $114). He also recalled the one-time payment of 100,000 soms (about $1,143) previously awarded to all WWII veterans.
“This Great Victory was achieved by all the peoples of the united Soviet Union,” Japarov concluded. “It is a shared victory, a victory for each of us. The heroism of the victors will forever shine as a beacon for all of humanity in its pursuit of peace.”
