Putin sent Troops to Kazakhstan as China Offered Forces

The Russian President supported the Kremlin’s decision to send troops to help eradicate protests in Kazakhstan as China offered support.

Putin said Russia wouldn’t allow outside forces to destabilize its neighboring countries.

Putin talked about the situation addressing a meeting of a Moscow-led security coalition leader Monday. The order returned to Kazakhstan after troops rushed to secure airports and key government buildings.

The government says the situation has stabilized

On Sunday, officials from Kazakhstan’s Interior Ministry reported that the situation in the country stabilized. They added that all government buildings were secured.

According to The Washington Post, the government attempts to accuse the attacks on foreign terror groups. It also denies that the Kazakhstan government has targeted peaceful protesters. During a televised address Friday, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev ordered soldiers to shoot to kill without any previous warning.

In a week of turmoil provoked by increased gas prices, protestors burned the presidential residence and stormed its most significant airport. At least 27 demonstrators and 19 law enforcement officers died, and more than 5,000 people remained locked up.

Kazakhstan still faces internet blackouts. Authorities also reported that several strategic buildings have the protection of the united peacekeeping contingent of the CSTO member states. It is a contingent consisting primarily of Russian troops.

Viewers have warned that Putin could use the turmoil in Kazakhstan as a chance to develop its power over the former Soviet republic.

Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State, said on Friday that a lesson in recent history is that once Russians arrive somewhere, it’s challenging to get them to leave.

On Saturday, Kazakh authorities reported that Karim Massimov had been arrested and charged with high betrayal. He is a former two-time prime minister and now head of the country’s counterintelligence agency.

Massimov appeared as a close ally of the former Kazakh President.  Nursultan Nazarbayev was the authoritarian leader ruling Kazakhstan from 1991 until 2019 and remained influential.