the Kazakhstan, the largest country in Central Asia, is shaken by a protest that erupted last Sunday.
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The situation is still explosive in the Kazakhstan. The former head of the country’s secret service was arrested for treason on Saturday, January 8, after being sacked following the riots that rocked the country. At the same time, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev had a “long” telephone conversation, according to the Kremlin, in order to discuss the situation and agreed to keep in touch “permanent”.
Moscow also denounced the comments, qualified as “rude”, by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who warned on Friday that he would be “very difficult” for Kazakhstan to obtain the withdrawal of Russian troops once the green light has been granted for an intervention on its territory. A contingent of Russian troops and other countries allied with Moscow arrived Thursday in Kazakhstan to support the power in place by protecting strategic buildings and supporting the police.
Kazakhstan, the largest country in Central Asia, is shaken by a protest that erupted last Sunday in the provinces before spreading to other cities and especially to Almaty, the economic capital, where the demonstrations turned to chaotic riots and murderous. According to an AFP journalist, tension persisted on Saturday in Almaty where we heard from time to time warning shots from the police to prevent people from approaching the central square.
Beyond the price hike, protesters’ anger is directed at the former president Nursoultan Nazarbaïev, remained in the shadow of power, whom they accuse of corruption. He ruled the country from 1989 to 2019 and retains great influence. He is considered to be the mentor of the current president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The latter on Friday authorized the security forces to “shoot to kill” in order to quell any rebellion and, with the support of Russia, ruled out negotiating with the demonstrators.
The unrest shaking this country of 19 million inhabitants worries Westerners. Germany announced on Saturday that it was halting its arms exports to Kazakhstan. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron called on Friday for the “end of violence” and at the “detention”.