At the article the author investigates a question about position of the ruling groups in the problem of involvement the Kazakhs to military service in Steppe and Turkestan Governor-Generalships in the Russian Empire at the period of the late XIX - early XX centuries. The author found out that this issue was considered on political and legal level and equalized the Kazakhs and other ethnic groups and social strata of Russian society in rights. At the same time, the introduction of conscription for the Kazakhs excited apprehension related to the possible growth of ethnic consciousness of nomads and strengthening their national movement. Therefore conscription for the Kazakhs was not introduced until the falling of the Russian Empire.

Key words: Russian Empire, safety, Steppe Governor-Generalship, Turkestan general-governorship, the Kazakhs, military reform, conscription, mobilization.