Russian paratroopers flew into unrest-ridden Kazakhstan

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), at the request of the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev, sent a peacekeeping contingent to the republic. Tokayev explained the need to enter forces by the emerging "threat to national security and the sovereignty of the Republic of Kazakhstan." The sources of the threat, according to Tokayev, were, among other things, "outside interference." He pointed out that the country was faced with "external aggression": abroad, attackers are preparing "terrorist gangs" who seize weapons and attack administrative buildings.

As noted by RBK , from Russia, airborne units were included in the peacekeeping corps.

“The CSTO forces are being brought into Kazakhstan within the framework of the article on collective defense (Article 4 of the Collective Security Treaty) for a limited time in order to stabilize the situation in the country,” RIA Novosti notes.

As the head of the Duma committee for the CIS, Kalashnikov, noted, the CSTO forces are not involved in establishing order, but in protecting the military infrastructure and other facilities, and local security officials will deal with the gangs.

Earlier it was reported that the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) sent a contingent to Kazakhstan. Now the aircraft of the military transport aviation of the country's Aerospace Forces are transferring the Russian part of the peacekeeping contingent to Kazakhstan.

The CSTO, which includes Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, clarified that the advanced units of the Russian military have already begun to fulfill their tasks. They will guard military and government facilities in Kazakhstan.

The CSTO's decision to send peacekeeping forces to Kazakhstan to "stabilize and normalize the situation in this country" was announced by the chairman of the CSTO Collective Security Council, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan. Prior to this, the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev, said that "terrorist gangs" trained abroad were behind the riots, attacks on administrative buildings and the seizure of weapons. At the same time, the CSTO documents suggest that the parties to the agreement immediately provide assistance, including military assistance, to the state that was attacked from outside.

Mass protests in the republic began on January 2 due to a two-fold increase in energy prices. Then the riots spread to several regions of the country and escalated into pogroms. Protesters knocked down a monument to ex-President Nazarbayev and demanded his resignation from the post of head of the republic’s Security Council. President Tokayev introduced a state of emergency in the republic and announced the start of an anti-terrorist operation. On January 5, protesters broke into the Almaty administration building, attacked police departments and the National Security Committee. A fire started in the building of the administration of Alma-Ata and in the building of the office of the Prosecutor General's Office.

During the riots, about 1000 people were injured in clashes, 400 were hospitalized. Among the victims there are about 300 security officials. At least 12 police officers were killed. It was also reported about "dozens" of the liquidated pogromists.