Russia to send forces to Kazakhstan after dozens of demonstrators killed in protests

Dozens of protesters were killed and thousands more injured in a horrific police crackdown on protests that began on Sunday over rising gas prices.

Russia and other Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) allies announced on Thursday that they will send troops to support the government as part of a "peace mission".

This would be the first time that the Russian-led alliance, which includes Belarus, Armenia, and other Central Asian countries, has adopted such a measure since its founding in 1992.

The Russian Foreign Ministry assured that the protests "have been inspired from abroad through armed groups that have been trained," and that the priority now is to "facilitate the anti-terrorist operation" launched by the Kazakh government.

“In connection with the appeal of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and in view of the threat to national security and the sovereignty of the Republic of Kazakhstan caused, inter alia, by outside interference, the CSTO Collective Security Council, in accordance with Article 4 of the Collective Security Treaty, decided to send Collective peacekeeping forces of the CSTO to the Republic of Kazakhstan for a limited time period in order to stabilize and normalize the situation in the country,” said Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian

The crisis prompted Tokayev on Wednesday to accept the resignation of the Prime Minister's Cabinet bloc and assume control of the Security Council, which was led by Nursultan Nazarbayev, who served as the first president of the country until 2019.

Shortly after, hundreds of protesters stormed the Almaty mayor's office building, prompting Tokayev to decree a state of emergency in the capital until January 19.

As a result of the chaos, all financial institutions in the country suspended their activities and the airports of Almaty, Aktobe, Aktau, and Nursultan ceased operations.

The conflict caused the price of uranium, one of Kazakhstan’s main exports, to dramatically increase, while the stock prices of domestic companies fell on the London stock exchange.

Kanat Taimerdenov, head of the local police, said that the Army and National Guard units joined security operations in face of what he described as attacks by "radical extremists" in different parts of the city.

Authorities said the attackers beat some 500 civilians and looted several businesses. Dozens of people with clubs and shields broke through metal police barricades and entered the mayor's office, according to images broadcast by local television.

More than 200 people have been arrested in the demonstrations with charges of "disturbing public order." At least 95 police officers were injured in the clashes, the Interior Ministry reported.