Moscow. January 6th. INTERFAX - Sending units of the armed forces of the CSTO countries and, in particular, Russian paratroopers to Kazakhstan does not constitute interference in the internal affairs of Kazakhstan, former commander of the Airborne Troops of the Russian Federation, retired Colonel-General Georgy Shpak, told Interfax.
"This cannot be interference in the internal affairs of Kazakhstan, since there is a CSTO decision. The President of Kazakhstan asked for help because of armed gangs that are rampant and want to seize power," Shpak said.
"Our paratroopers will quickly restore order there. We have tremendous experience. And these gangs are not so organized to fight with the Airborne troops of Russia," the former commander said.
The CSTO includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan.
The situation in Kazakhstan worsened on January 2, when rallies against a sharp increase in prices for liquefied gas began in Zhanaozen (a city in the Mangystau region, in the west of the country). Then they escalated into mass protests across the country with economic and political demands. On January 4 and 5, protesters clashed with security forces in Almaty. There are dead and injured. On the morning of January 5, the President of Kazakhstan dismissed the government.
Tokayev appealed to the heads of the CSTO states with a request to assist in overcoming the terrorist threat.
A state of emergency has been introduced in the country.
On Thursday it became known that the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) has sent a peacekeeping contingent to Kazakhstan, paratroopers are being transferred from Russia.
"From the Russian Federation, the Collective Peacekeeping Forces of the CSTO included units and military units of Airborne troops," the CSTO secretariat reported on Thursday.
According to the organization, currently, the Russian military transport aviation aircraft are transferring the Russian part of the peacekeeping contingent to the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
"The advanced units from its composition have already begun to carry out their tasks," the CSTO said.
The organization stated that the Collective Peacekeeping Forces of the CSTO were sent to Kazakhstan by the decision of the CSTO Collective Security Council, adopted on January 6, 2022, "for a limited period of time to stabilize and normalize the situation."
"They included units of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic," the CSTO reported.
