Recent developments in Kazakhstan externally provoked attempts to disrupt security, integrity: Russia

Russia has said that recent developments in Kazakhstan are "externally provoked attempts to disrupt the security and integrity" of the country including by using the trained and organized armed groups" and that the main task of CSTO peacekeeping forces is to secure important state and military facilities and render assistance to the local authorities in stabilizing the situation.

In a statement, Russian Embassy in India also said that the peacekeeping forces do not participate in any military actions and are not involved in the elimination of terrorists, which are being taken care of by the Kazakh law enforcement forces.

"Russia calls for searching peaceful solutions through a dialogue, within the constitutional and legal framework, not through street riots and violations of law," the statement said.

Elaborating on the recent developments in Kazakhstan and Russia's involvement in the joint CSTO peacekeeping operation there, the statement said Moscow from the very beginning was closely monitoring the rapidly deteriorating internal political situation and surge of violence in Kazakhstan.

"We consider recent developments in this friendly country, with which Russia has relations of strategic partnership and alliance, nothing but an externally provoked attempts to disrupt the security and integrity of the state, including by using the trained and organized armed groups," the statement said.

It said when the Collective Security Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), in response to request by Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, made a decision on January 6 to send the CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces to Kazakhstan in line with its commitments to the allied obligations within the Organization, Russia supported the adoption of these urgent measures.

The Russian Embassay statement also referred to that of Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, who chairs the Council in 2022.

"In view of the address of President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and considering the threat to national security and sovereignty of the Republic of Kazakhstan, caused in particular by interference from the outside, the CSTO Collective Security Council in accordance with Article 4 of the Collective Security Treaty made the decision to send CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces to the Republic of Kazakhstan for a limited period with the aim of stabilization and normalization of the situation in this country," the Armenia President said.

The Russian Embassay said that Collective Security Treaty of May 15, 1992, stipulates that in case of aggression (armed attack that threatens security, stability, territorial integrity and sovereignty) against any member state, other member states shall immediately provide necessary support and aid, including military assistance, at the request of said member state.

"More to say, deployment of the CSTO peacekeeping forces is only possible when an agreement is reached between all member states. And this is exactly the case," it said.

The statement said that apart from the Russian portion of the peacekeeping forces temporarily sent to Kazakhstan on January 6, there are contingent from Armenia, Belorussia, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

"It should be clearly understood that their main task comes solely to securing important state and military facilities, as well as rendering assistance to the local authorities in stabilizing the situation and getting it back to the legal framework. They do not participate in any military actions and are not involved in elimination of terrorists, which are being taken care of by the Kazakh law enforcement forces. Thus, one should not confuse a peacekeeping mission with the deployment of a combat units," the statement said.

"At the end of the day, we are very happy to see statements from the Kazakhstan officials that as of January 7 the law and order have been restored in all regions of the country and the situation has stabilized," it added . Reports said that protests over rising fuel prices escalated into unrest in Kazakhstan.

( With inputs from ANI )

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