The Special Forces of the State Security Service of Kazakhstan, also known commonly and formerly as the Republican Guard of Kazakhstan (, Qazaqstan Respublikasynyñ Respublikalyq ūlany; ) is a branch of the State Security Service of Kazakhstan. It was also a former independent service branches of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The former Republican Guard and the current Special Forces of the SGO is designed for protection and defense of residence of the President of Kazakhstan in Almaty and Nur-Sultan. The Republican Guard was established on 16 March 1992, when President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a decree on their creation on the basis of a separate brigade of operational designation of the Internal Troops deployed in the village of Kaskelen district of Almaty region. History The Republican Guard was established on 16 March 1992, when the President of Kazakhstan signed a decree on their creation. Thus, the Day of the Republican Guard has been set as March 16. The Republican Guard was established on the basis of a separate brigade of operational designation of the Kazakh Internal Troops deployed in the village of Ak Zhar (located in the Kaskelen District of the Almaty Region). From the very beginning of its inception, it faced many difficulties such as a lack of resources and equipment as well as problems with the professional education of the troops. In August 1992, at the CSKA stadium in Almaty, President Nursultan Nazarbayev was first introduced to the Republican Guard in the person of a manned battalion of government protection, an honour guard and a military band. On 16 December 1992, Republican Guard conscripts were the first to be sworn in a ceremony at the Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen. Two weeks later, on the day before New Year's Eve, the Republican Guard accepted the role of round-the-clock personal security at the Almaty Presidential Residence, which was then under construction. On 22 February 1993, the standards of the State Flag and the State Emblem of Kazakhstan at the Palace of the Republic were given 24-hour protection by the guard. That spring, designer Serik Suleimenov developed a uniform for servicemen of the honour guard company, for officers the introduction of a special full dress uniform (a white tunic) was provided. In October 1995, the Republican Guard was introduced into the Presidential Security Service, only to later be transferred to a separate department. In March 1997, in