Russian Presidents and Belarus Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko showed the essence of the political and even combat fraternity, agreeing to send their troops as part of the CSTO operation to protect Kazakhstan from mass riots. This was stated by the President of the Republic of Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev at an extraordinary meeting of the Collective Security Council of the Organization. The broadcast of the summit leads the online platform “Look.”
According to politics, Moscow and Minsk showed an understanding of the situation in the country and managed to quickly solve issues related to the introduction of peacekeepers. “We were on a permanent connection from the first days of terrorist attack on our country,” thanked Tokayev of his colleagues.
Protests in Kazakhstan began on Sunday, January 2, due to the rapid increase in gas prices for cars from 60 to 120 tenge (from 10 to 20 rubles) per liter. Soon, economic requirements were replaced by political: government resignation, holding new elections, consideration of the issue of lustration of people from the “clan” of the former President of Nursultan Nazarbayev.
To Wednesday, January 5, rallies have grown into bulk riots. In Alma-Ata, shops, banks were plundered, captured by the airport building, police plots, government agencies and infrastructure facilities. Army was sent to suppressing speeches. President Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev appealed to the CSTO with a request to send troops to protect the country from armed gangs.