Monument-Bust Dedicated to Lieutenant General Zh. Kereyev

Historical Background: Zhansen Kereyev was an outstanding military figure and lieutenant general who holds a special place in the history of Kazakh professional officers of the Soviet period. He was born in 1930 in the Aktobe Region. Most sources mention the Irgiz area as his place of birth, while some memoir-based accounts refer to Babatay village.

From a young age, Zhansen Kereyev connected his life with military service. He served in the Soviet Army, graduated from the Blagoveshchensk Infantry School, the M. V. Frunze Military Academy and the Academy of the General Staff. During his career he served in Transbaikalia, Germany, the Leningrad Military District, the Volga Military District and later carried out an important military mission in Vietnam.

Zhansen Kereyev is remembered as one of the first and most prominent Kazakh officers to reach the rank of lieutenant general in the Soviet period. His life path remains an example of discipline, professional skill and devotion to his native land.

Description of the Monument: The monument-bust dedicated to Lieutenant General Zh. Kereyev is an architectural and sculptural composition consisting of a sculpture, a pedestal and a foundation. The composition is based on a rectangular three-tier layout.

The foundation is made of cement block, while the pedestal is faced with reddish-brown granite. This material and artistic solution gives the monument a restrained, solid and solemn appearance appropriate to the image of a military leader. Its location in a public urban space emphasises the importance of Zhansen Kereyev as a person who devoted his life to state and military service.

Opening of the Monument: The monument was installed in 1999 in Aktobe, in the public garden on Zh. Kereyev Street, opposite the railway station. Detailed information on the exact opening ceremony date is not widely available in open sources. However, the placement of the monument in one of the city’s visible public areas shows the intention to preserve the general’s name in the civic memory of Aktobe.

Why is this monument important?

This monument is an important memorial site connected with the history of Kazakh professional military officers. Zhansen Kereyev’s biography shows the path of a person who, through education, discipline and responsibility, rose to a high command rank.

The monument has both memorial and educational value. It reminds residents and visitors of military duty, patriotism, responsibility and service to the homeland. In Aktobe’s urban landscape, this site preserves the memory of the contribution made by Kazakh officers to the military history of the twentieth century.

What can you notice when looking at the monument?

When viewing the monument, pay attention to its restrained and dignified composition. The reddish-brown granite pedestal symbolically conveys stability, strength of character and the inner discipline of a military figure.

The three-tier structure may be understood as a symbolic reflection of Zhansen Kereyev’s professional rise — from military education to high command rank. Its location near the railway station is also meaningful: it keeps the general’s name visible in the everyday life of the city.

Did you know?

A number of sources describe Zhansen Kereyev as the first and only career Kazakh officer of the Soviet period to be awarded the rank of lieutenant general.

Although he spent much of his military service far from his native land, his connection with the Aktobe Region remained important. In 2025, commemorative events marking the 95th anniversary of his birth were held in Aktobe, where military personnel, veterans and relatives laid flowers at his bust.

Read More

1. Adilet Legal Information System of the Republic of Kazakhstan. State List of Historical and Cultural Monuments of Local Significance of Aktobe Region
2. Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Material about the commemoration of General Zhansen Kereyev in Aktobe
3. History of Kazakhstan portal. “The First Kazakh Lieutenant General”
4. Diapazon newspaper. Material about the 95th anniversary of General Zhansen Kereyev in Aktobe