Minsk. January 6th. INTERFAX - A peacekeeping company of the 103rd Airborne Vitebsk Brigade of special operations forces has been sent to Kazakhstan, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin said on Thursday.
"In accordance with the decision of the Collective Security Council of the CSTO, in order to fulfill international and allied obligations, the Republic of Belarus sends a Belarusian military contingent to participate in the settlement of the crisis situation on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which can lead to a violation of the constitutional order, loss of sovereignty and independence," the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Belarus quotes the minister.
"I have made a decision, and it has been approved by the President of the Republic of Belarus, to send a trained peacekeeping company from the 103rd Airborne Vitebsk brigade of special operations forces for these purposes," Khrenin said.
According to the Minister, the unit has passed the entire training complex and is prepared to perform such tasks, staffed exclusively by military personnel under contract.
"Tonight, this unit made a march to the area of the Machulishchi airfield, where it was loaded onto Russian Federation aircraft. At the moment, there is a promotion to the place of execution of tasks," Khrenin said.
"According to the results of the conversation with the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan, we see their full determination to restore order and prevent violations of the constitutional order. In turn, we are ready to provide them with all possible assistance within the framework of our obligations," the head of the Belarusian military department summed up.
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, protesters clashed with security forces in Almaty.
On January 5, the Government of Kazakhstan was dismissed. A state of emergency has been imposed on the territory of the country.
