Western countries are carrying out a hybrid campaign against relations between Russia and Kazakhstan, but Moscow and Astana continue to deepen their ties, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said at the plenary session of the Third Russia-Kazakhstan Media Forum. "We have already heard colleagues point out today that our relations are facing a hybrid campaign by Western official circles, media outlets, and so-called think tanks," the senior diplomat said. "I believe this highly toxic claim should be countered with the narrative that there is no place for one-sided dependence in Russia-Kazakhstan relations. It is precisely this kind of relationship between two equal, sovereign and independent states that acts as the key factor in strengthening sovereignty and independence," the Russian deputy foreign minister said. The first Russia-Kazakhstan Media Forum was held at TASS headquarters in Moscow in November 2024, marking the agency's 120th anniversary.