Kazakhstan: Russian units from CSTO board flights to return to position of deployment

The first Russian military units from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) have started boarding the planes from Kazakhstan, ANI reported citing a statement by the Russian Defence Ministry. The Russian troops were deployed in Kazakhstan last week by the Collective Security Treaty Organization at the request of the country's president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.  

According to the Russian Defence Ministry statement, the first units of Russian Aerospace Forces from the CSTO in Kazakhstan loaded the equipment into the military aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces. The Russian defence personnel boarded the aircraft of the military and flew from Almaty airport to point of permanent deployment.

"The first units of Russian Aerospace Forces from the collective peacekeeping forces of the CSTO in Kazakhstan loaded standard equipment and personnel into the aircraft of the military transport aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces and flew from Almaty airport to the point of permanent deployment," Russian Defence Ministry said in its statement, ANI reported.

Kazakhstan unrest 

After the fuel price hike, protests against the government erupted on January 2 and swept across Kazakhstan. Despite the efforts of the government to calm the demonstrators, the protests turned extremely violent for several days. The protesters in Almaty set the city hall on fire and had stormed and seized the airport for some time. Amid the unrest in Kazakhstan, the country’s President sought help from Collective Security Treaty Organisation for restoring stability. Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has blamed the unrest in the country on foreign-backed “terrorists”, AP reported. 

After the unrest increased, the country's ministerial Cabinet submitted their resignation. The authorities declared a state of emergency over the unrest in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan President Tokayev even called for help from the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The Kazakhstan Foreign Ministry issued a statement on January 9 regarding the unrest in the country.

In the statement, the foreign ministry said that despite the government fulfilling the demands of the protesters, the 'peaceful protests were hijacked by terrorist, extremist and criminal groups' to increase tensions. Furthermore, the foreign ministry informed that law enforcement agencies have been directed to carry out an investigation into the cause of the present situation in Kazakhstan. 

(With inputs from AP/ANI, Image: AP)