Thread. Azerbaijani photographer Kamal Babayev today passed away. So here's my tribute to him.
Picture: Composer Gara Garayev
Babayev was born in Baku.
From 1953 he worked as a photojournalist in the magazine "Pioneer" & a freelance worker at the Azerbaijan State Museum of Art, from 1959 - an employee of this museum, where he worked until his death as a photographer.
It is not clear yet how the unrest in Kazakhstan will evolve, and what role Nursultan Nazarbayev will play in them, but it seems certain that the protests will alter the historical legacy he had imagined he would leave.
Share of “Russians” in Kazakhstan’s regions and cities.
There have been no serious separatist movements in Kazakhstan since the country became independent in 1991.
Do not to be surprised if most that shaded area will have a few “visitors” from the north in upcoming hours.
The peacekeeping contingent sent to #Kazakhstan from Russia will include a spetsnaz company of the 76th airborne division, as well as a company of the 45th airborne special forces brigade.
More special forces brigades are expected to be sent.
Tokayev basically called for the CSTO so they can crackdown everybody in the country.
At first I expect the CSTO units to control and run airports in #Kazakhstan then they will be deployed beyond.
Here's video of Tokayev asking for the CSTO's help:
Thread. Last major protests in post-Soviet states:
🇦🇲 Armenia: Calls for resignation of PM Nikol Pashinyan over his handling of the II Karabakh war (Feb 2021)
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan: Pro-Karabakh war protests (Jul 2020)
🇧🇾 Belarus: Protests against the Belarusian government and President Alexander Lukashenko (May 2020)
🇲🇩 Moldova: Demonstrations against the pro-Russian prime minister Ion Chicu (Nov 2020)
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan: Protests erupt in Kazakhstan after fuel price rise (Jan 2022 / Happening now)
🇺🇦 Ukraine: Hundreds march in Kyiv against mandatory vaccines (Nov 2021)
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan: Energy/fuel shortages in the region of Karakalpakstan (Dec 2019)