Russian Soldiers Take Almaty Airport, Violence Continues

Russian soldiers have seized the airport of Kazakhstan’s largest city, Almaty. Russian media report that “thought and night” troops have been flown in from Russia since Thursday.

The military must, among other things, secure strategic objects and help the Kazakh government maintain order. Meanwhile, violence in the Caucasus Republic continues unabated.

According to the Russian news agency Tass, shots were fired late into the night in the centre of Almaty on Thursday, and the building of a television channel is said to be on fire. Also, on Friday morning, journalists report that there is fighting in the city.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said in a televised address Friday morning that he has ordered the military to fire without warning if the disturbances continue. He said he would not negotiate with the protesters and that those who do not surrender will “be destroyed”. According to Tokarev, Almaty is threatened by “20,000 bandits”.

He thanked his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for his quick decision to send “peacekeeping troops”. The Russian-led military alliance CSTO sent 2,500 troops to Kazakhstan after Tokayev asked for help.

Protests in Kazakhstan broke out after the price of LPG doubled at the beginning of this year. Tokarev reversed that, but the demonstrations continued and increasingly turned against the established political order.