US urged Russia to quickly withdraw military from Kazakhstan | News from Germany about Russia

The United States insists on the prompt withdrawal of Russian-led forces of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) from Kazakhstan. Washington welcomes the announcement of the end of the CSTO mission by the President of this country, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, said on Tuesday, January 11, at a briefing in Washington, the head of the State Department’s press service, Ned Price.

The US administration calls on the CSTO servicemen to comply with Tokayev’s request and immediately leave Kazakhstan, he further pointed out. Until the withdrawal process is completed, all participants in this mission must respect international human rights, Price said.

On the eve of the President of Kazakhstan, speaking in parliament, announced the completion of the “peacekeeping mission” of the CSTO. Tokayev promised that the phased withdrawal of the contingent from Kazakhstan would begin in two days and would take no more than 10 days.

Protests in Kazakhstan

The protests in Kazakhstan, initially related to the rise in prices for liquefied gas, began on January 2, with Alma-Ata becoming one of their centers. President Tokayev dismissed the government led by Askar Mamin and removed the first president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, from the post of head of the Security Council. A state of emergency was declared throughout the country.

Tokayev said he had ordered law enforcement agencies and the army to open fire without warning. The CSTO, in response to a request from the Kazakh president for help, sent a military contingent to the republic under the leadership of the commander of the Russian Airborne Forces, Colonel-General Andrei Serdyukov. During the protests in Kazakhstan, about 10 thousand people were detained, 412 pre-trial investigations were launched.

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Protests in Kazakhstan: dozens killed, hundreds wounded, thousands detained
Thousands of demonstrators in the streets
Dissatisfaction with rising fuel prices at gas stations in oil and gas-rich Kazakhstan erupted over days into anti-government protests across the country. Political demands were quickly added to economic demands.

Protests in Kazakhstan: dozens killed, hundreds wounded, thousands detained
President failed to stop protests
To calm the demonstrators, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev ordered to lower fuel prices, dismissed the government and removed Nursultan Nazarbayev from the post of head of the country’s Security Council. But the protests could not be stopped.

Protests in Kazakhstan: dozens killed, hundreds wounded, thousands detained
State of emergency declared in Kazakhstan
A state of emergency was declared in Kazakhstan due to the protests. All over the country there is a night curfew, restrictions on freedom of movement and bans on assemblies. The president also asked for help from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a regional military alliance led by Russia.

Protests in Kazakhstan: dozens killed, hundreds wounded, thousands detained
The anger of the people burst out
On January 5, thousands of demonstrators stormed the city administration building and other government offices in Almaty. Several administrative buildings were set on fire. The protesters also took control of the city airport.

Protests in Kazakhstan: dozens killed, hundreds wounded, thousands detained
Victims on both sides of the barricades
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 18 law enforcement officers were killed during the clashes. Over 2,300 demonstrators were detained. Eyewitnesses report dozens of civilian casualties. More than 1000 people were injured, according to various sources. About 400 people have been admitted to hospitals in various regions of the country, Deputy Health Minister Azhar Giniyat said on January 6.

Protests in Kazakhstan: dozens killed, hundreds wounded, thousands detained
Mass protests are rare in Kazakhstan
Mass protests rarely break out in authoritarian Kazakhstan. The current situation has become the biggest crisis for President Tokayev, who succeeded long-term head of state Nursultan Nazarbayev in 2019. Now 81-year-old Nazarbayev bears the honorary title of “leader of the nation” and is considered the de facto ruler in the country and the closest ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Protests in Kazakhstan: dozens killed, hundreds wounded, thousands detained
Russia sent airborne units to Kazakhstan
At the request of President Tokayev, Russia sent airborne units to Kazakhstan as part of the “peacekeeping contingent” of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). In addition to Russia and Kazakhstan, this alliance also includes Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. The photo shows Russian paratroopers boarding a plane before being sent to Kazakhstan.
Author: Philip Bell, Marina Baranovskaya