The first units of Russian paratroopers from the forces of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) returned from Kazakhstan to Russia. This was reported to journalists on Thursday, January 13, in the press service of the Russian Defense Ministry.
“The first units of Russian paratroopers from the collective peacekeeping forces of the CSTO, performing tasks to protect socially significant objects in the Republic of Kazakhstan, having flown four Il-76MD military transport aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces from the Alma-Ata airfield to the Ivanovo-Severny airfield” , returned to the point of permanent deployment, ”the ministry said in a statement.
Earlier that day, the press secretary of the Russian president, Dmitry Peskov, said that the CSTO had fulfilled its role in Kazakhstan effectively. According to him, Kazakhstan coped with the difficulties that arose in early January. In turn, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov noted that the peacekeeping mission was perfect in terms of its result.
On January 13, CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas said that the peacekeeping mission in Kazakhstan showed that the potential of the Collective Security Treaty Organization is highly effective and really effective. He added that during the CSTO operation, Russian Aerospace Forces planes transferred over 2 thousand peacekeepers and 250 pieces of equipment to Kazakhstan.
On January 2, protests began in Kazakhstan due to the rise in prices for liquefied gas. In some cities, rallies escalated into riots. The situation has become especially aggravated in the largest city of the country – Alma-Ata. The protesters, among whom, according to the authorities, were extremists, broke into the administration building, set fire to the prosecutor’s office, the office of the ruling party and seized the presidential residence. During the riots, 17 security officials were killed, two of them were beheaded. The country’s authorities said that such brutal actions indicate a terrorist threat.
Amid the unrest, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev turned to the CSTO (it includes Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Armenia) for help in overcoming the terrorist threat. On January 12, he announced the completion of the CSTO peacekeeping operation in the country.
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