MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th October, 2020) Russia was the first country to support Kyrgyzstan in stabilizing the post-election situation to prevent the protests in the republic from growing violent, Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Ruslan Kazakbaev told Sputnik on Saturday.
"In the post-election period a vacuum of power existed in the country during 5-10 days, which resulted in a political crisis. In this period, serious confrontation occurred between the legitimate president and certain political forces, which were the pro-government forces and the opposition forces," the minister said.
Kazakbaev added that that situation could "deteriorate into riots and violence. And, regarding this issue, primarily Russia and our other partners made statements and provided support."
He stressed the importance of Russia's "advisory, information and moral support," recalling that Deputy Kremlin Chief of Staff Dmitry Kozak had arrived in Bishkek amid the peak of protests.
Kyrgyzstan has been undergoing political turmoil since the October 4 legislative elections, when several political parties failed to enter the parliament and challenged the official results. Mobs of protesters stormed key buildings, including the country's seat of power, setting in motion a cascade of political change. Bishkek has annulled the results of the previous election and set the January 10 deadline for the new one.
