THE “STEPPE WAR” (ON THE EXAMPLE OF THE NATIONAL LIBERATION MOVEMENT OF KAZAKHS LED BY SARZHAN AND KENESARY KASYMOVS)

This article deals with the problems of the steppe war during the national liberation movement of the Kazakh people under the leadership of Sultan Sarzhan and Khan Kenesary Kasymov (1824-1847). The author considers the term "steppe war", and its semantic meaning and peculiarities. Also on the example of military art of the Kazakh people in the first half of the XIX century, the specificity of steppe warfare and features of military art are studied. The territory of the Middle Juz became the main area of military operations during the period of the Kazakh people's intervention against the tsarist troops for the restoration of their independence. Through the experience of the Steppe War, it is possible to trace the main events that took place during the years of the protest movement of the legendary grandsons of Abylai Khan primarily on the territory of the Middle Juz. These are steppe territories, which were characterized by the lack of natural shelters in the form of forests and mountains.