After several days of strong tensions in the country and the sending of Russian troops, the boss of the Kremlin had a “long” discussion with his counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokaïev.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev had a “long” telephone conversation to discuss the crisis situation in Kazakhstan, announced this Saturday the Kremlin. “The presidents exchanged views on the measures taken to restore order in Kazakhstan”, the statement read, adding that the two leaders have agreed to keep in touch “permanent”.
Moscow also denounced the comments “Rude” 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 sent there once the green light has been granted for an intervention on its territory. “The US Secretary of State tried to make fun of the tragedy unfolding in Kazakhstan”, Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on Facebook.
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.
Earlier this Saturday, the German government said it was stopping its arms exports to Kazakhstan. If the value of the exported material is admittedly low, with 25 authorizations granted in 2021 for an amount of 2.2 million euros, this ban “Is essential in view of the situation”, said a spokesman for the German Ministry of the Economy.
The ex-boss of the secret services arrested
In the early hours of the morning, the former head of the national security agency of Kazakhstan was arrested for treason after being sacked following the riots that rocked the country. The National Security Committee (KNB) said its former director, Karim Massimov, was taken into custody on Thursday after the launch of an investigation for high treason.
Kazakhstan, the largest country in Central Asia, has been shaken for several days by a protest, which erupted in the provinces after a rise in gas prices, before spreading to large cities, where protests degenerated into riots against the regime in place, which killed dozens of people. The tension persists on Saturday in Almaty, the economic capital, where we hear from time to time warning shots from the police to prevent people from approaching the central square.