My La Razón (Spain) Interview Concerning the Protests and Violence in #Kazakhstan and Deployment of #Russian-led Forces. #KazakhstanProtest academia.edu/67681216/La_Ra…
Key points in my La Razon interview: #KazakhstanProtest started because of increase of prices for liquefied petroleum gas which #Kazakhstan government subsidized. But they turned into violent attacks & seizures of government, police & security service headquarters & looting. 1/
It is not yet sufficiently clear as to why #KazakhstanProtest turned so violent, especially in the former capital city in the south of Kazakhstan, and who exactly the attackers, whom #Kazakhstan president branded as terrorists, were.
Police & security forces following orders of president of #Kazakhstan to use force against attackers managed to seize back control over most of government, police & security service headquarters. #KazakhstanProtest & violence significantly diminished as result of use of force. 3/
Government stated that 18 law enforcement members & dozens of attackers were killed. Even though there are still reports of violent clashes & protests, #Kazakhstan government forces are likely to quash not only violent rebellion or riots but also peaceful #KazakhstanProtest 4/
President Tokayev hold on power now appears to be much stronger than just a few days ago. It was then in doubt because of #KazakhstanProtest & violence & because he until then shared power with Nazarbayev, who was authoritarian ruler of #Kazakhstan since Soviet Union times. 5/
Nazarbayev handpicked Tokayev as his successor as president of #Kazakhstan a few years ago while remaining himself head of Security Council of Kazakhstan. Tokayev now took control over security apparatus from #Nazarbayev by dismissing him & his people from government. 6/
Deployment of #Russian-led troops of Collective Security Treaty Organization in #Kazakhstan after invitation by Tokayev also significantly decreased chances that he would be toppled. It strengthens his hold on power & #Russian influence in Kazakhstan. 7/ #KazakhstanProtest
My interview: Kazakhstan is very important country for Putin. Although it maintained good relations with West & #China, #Kazakhstan has been major ally of #Russia. It's member of Collective Security Treaty Organization & Eurasian Economic Union, both of which are led by Russia 8/
Kazakhstan shares long border with #Russia & hosts #Russian space launch center in Baikonur & Russian missile testing range. There is large ethnic Russian population, primarily in Northern border regions near #Russia. Putin regards Kazakhstan as sphere of Russian influence. 9/
Published version of my interview in La Razon (Spain) concerning the #KazakhstanProtests and violence and the deployment of the #Russian-led forces in #Kazakhstan larazon.es/internacional/…
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