[RIA Novosti] Russian paratroopers carrying out a peacekeeping mission in Kazakhstan began to return to their units, the press service of the Ministry of Defense said."The first units of Russian paratroopers from the collective peacekeeping forces of the CSTO , performing tasks to protect socially significant facilities in the Republic of Kazakhstan, having flown four Il-76md aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces military transport aviation from the Alma-Ata airfield to the Ivanovo-Severny airfield, returned to the point permanent deployment," said in the release.
Mass protests in Kazakhstan began in the early days of 202. Residents of the cities of Zhanaozen and Aktau in the west of the country opposed a twofold increase in prices for liquefied petroleum gas. Later, the actions spread to other cities, including Alma-Ata . People took to the streets, clashes with the security forces and looting began.
On January 5, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev dismissed the government and ordered the regulation of fuel sales prices, but unrest continued. He also headed the Security Council, at the first meeting of which he called the situation "undermining the integrity of the state."
In addition, the country's president turned to the CSTO for help . The organization sent a collective peacekeeping force to the country to normalize the situation.
On January 7, the head of state announced that terrorists, including those who arrived from abroad, continued to resist, and promised to destroy those who did not lay down their arms. In addition, he noted that all the demands of citizens, expressed in peaceful forms, were heard.
Against the background of the stabilization of the situation, the CSTO peacekeepers, who were involved in the protection of important objects, began to transfer them to local specialized departments.
Until January 19, a state of emergency is in effect throughout the republic.