In the practice of regional typology in Kazakhstan, it is customary to distinguish "resource regions." For conducting a comprehensive analysis of the socio-economic development, development of mechanisms for managing the innovative development of resource regions of Kazakhstan, a key criterion is the share of gross value added from the extraction of minerals in the structure of the gross regional product. Based on this indicator, four resource-rich regions of Kazakhstan (West Kazakhstan, Kyzylorda, Atyrau, and Mangystau regions) can be identified, where socio-economic development is predominantly driven by the extraction, export of oil and gas, overshadowing other forms of natural resource extraction.The aim of the research is to examine the assumption that a significant portion of the attributes associated with the "smart specialization" model are formally integrated into traditional development approaches used by various regions of Kazakhstan.Methodology. The article provides an assessment of the innovative development strategies of specific regions of Kazakhstan using criteria outlined in the "smart specialization" model. The study relies on publicly available sources, including specialized databases of regulatory acts and offi cial websites of regions.Originality/value of the research. The value of the hypothesis in the study and evaluation of the parameters of the development programs of the regions of Kazakhstan lies in the use of the adapted method of the RIS3 self-assessment wheel, which evaluates the strategies of regional innovations in the field of intellectual specialization.Research results. The results of the study and evaluation of regional strategies and programs allowed us to construct a «web diagram» as a result, which highlights the strengths and weaknesses of innovative development, and states the existence of problems of consistency between the elements of the strategy that stimulate innovative development of regions.