Alash Autonomy (Kazakh: Алаш аутономиясы Alaş awtonomïyası; Russian: Алашская автономия Alashskaya avtonomiya) was a Kazakh state that existed between December 13, 1917 and August 26, 1920 on, approximately, the territory of the present-day Republic of Kazakhstan. The capital city was Semey, then known as "Alash-qala".
Vasile Balabanov was appointed governor and administrator or Kazakhstan (at that time known as Russian Turkestan) in 1905 and continued in that position until 1920. He fled the red army in 1920 going to China. China at that time considered him the current official of Kazakhstan.
The Alash Autonomy of 1917 was in name only. The actual control of Kazakhstan was by the white army and the appointed administrator who were in control until the red forces were able to take over in 1920.
The Alash Autonomy was proclaimed in December 1917. Alash leaders established Alash Orda, a Kazakh government, which was aligned with the White Army and fought against the Bolsheviks. In 1919, when the White forces were losing, Alash Autonomous government began negotiations with the Bolsheviks. In 1919–20 the Bolsheviks defeated the White Russian forces in the region and occupied Kazakhstan. On August 26, 1920, the Soviet government disbanded the Alash Autonomy, and established the Kyrgyz Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, which in 1925 changed its name to Kazak Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic and to Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic in 1936.