Abstract
The 1853 capture of Aq Masjid was a decisive moment in Russia's Central Asian expansion, acting as a springboard for further advances. Traditionally seen as a response to Khoqandi raids on Qazaqs under Russian protection, this article challenges that view and emphasises the impact of internal instability within the Khoqand Khanate. Russia strategically exploited civil strife and political fragmentation that had weakened Khoqand's leadership. Archival materials, including Qazaq intelligence documents, Russian military correspondence, and Khoqandi chronicles, reveal that the campaign was less a reaction to raids and more a calculated move to capitalise on Khoqand's internal divisions.