10.01.2022, Moscow.
The threat to Kazakhstan’s statehood arose not because of spontaneous protests, but because of the use of the tense situation in the country by internal and external destructive forces, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at an extraordinary session of the Collective Security Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) on January 10, REGNUM news agency reported.
“We understand that the threat to the Kazakhstani statehood was not caused by the spontaneous protests, but by the destructive internal and external forces,” Putin said.
The Russian leader stressed that those forces that started the protests over higher gas prices pursued one goal, and “those who took up arms and attacked the state – these are completely different people, and they have other goals.”
Mass protests in Kazakhstan began in early January. After the doubling of the price of liquefied gas, the residents of Zhanaozen and Aktau took to the streets in protest. Within a few days, the protests spread to other cities of the republic, including the former capital of Kazakhstan, Almaty. Riots broke out in the city, militants organized armed confrontation with security forces, seized administrative buildings, and looted the city.
Kazakh authorities declared a state of emergency. Kazakh security forces began an anti-terrorist operation. According to UN agencies, more than a thousand people were injured during the turmoil in Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstani President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev resigned as prime minister January 5 and asked for help from the CSTO in “overcoming the terrorist threat.” The CSTO acceded to the Kazakh leader’s request. Units of CSTO peacekeeping forces were sent to the country to help normalize the situation on Kazakhstani territory.
Tokayev said on January 7 that all terrorists who do not lay down their arms and continue to resist will be eliminated.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
