Russia's Defense Ministry Says All CSTO Peacekeepers, Weaponry Withdrawn From Kazakhstan

Russia's Defense Ministry Says All CSTO Peacekeepers, Weaponry Withdrawn From Kazakhstan

All peacekeepers, military equipment and weapons that were mobilized in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) mission in Kazakhstan have returned to their countries of origin, the Russian Defense Ministry announced Wednesday

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th January, 2022) All peacekeepers, military equipment and weapons that were mobilized in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) mission in Kazakhstan have returned to their countries of origin, the Russian Defense Ministry announced Wednesday.

"All peacekeepers, military equipment and weaponry of the CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces contingent, which fulfilled the tasks of protecting socially sensitive facilities in the Republic of Kazakhstan, have returned home. Today, the last four aircraft of the Russian Air Force's military transport aviation landed at Chkalovsky air base," the statement said.

The ministry noted that Colonel General Andrei Serdyukov, head of the Russian peacekeeping contingent, returned to Russia aboard one of the last military planes.

According to the ministry, from January 6 to 19, a total of 212 flights were carried out by the Russian Air Force to transfer the peacekeeping contingent. Around 20 flights transported over 2,200 Russian and foreign citizens from Kazakhstan to Russia during the unrest.

Mass protests in Kazakhstan erupted in early January, with residents of the western cities of Zhanaozen and Aktau protesting a twofold increase in liquefied gas prices. The protests spilled over to other cities, and turned into violent unrest with looting, attacks on state facilities and clashes with police. In response, authorities declared a nationwide state of emergency until January 19 and launched an anti-terrorist operation. According to the country's attorney general, the turmoil left 4,578 people injured, and 225 killed, including 19 security officers.

On January 5, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev dismissed the government and called for the CSTO assistance "in overcoming the terrorist threat." The CSTO sent collective peacekeeping forces to stabilize the situation and curb the violence in Kazakhstan. On January 13, the gradual withdrawal of the peacekeeping contingent began.