Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Kazakh counterpart Kasim-Yomart Tokayev had a "long" telephone conversation to discuss the situation in Kazakhstan, the Kremlin said in a statement today.
"The presidents exchanged views on the steps being taken to restore order in Kazakhstan," the statement said, adding that the two leaders had agreed to remain in "permanent" contact.
Tokayev informed Putin that the situation was stabilizing and thanked him for developing a Russian-led military force in Kazakhstan to stem the most violent incidents his country has faced since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The Kremlin added that Putin had backed Tokayev's idea of holding a teleconference in the coming days with allies of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which brings together six former Soviet republics, to discuss measures to restore order. .
Moscow also condemned "rude" remarks by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who warned on Friday that it would be "very difficult" for Kazakhstan to secure the withdrawal of Russian forces once they received the green light. for intervention in its territory.
"The US Secretary of State tried to make fun of the tragedy unfolding in Kazakhstan," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on Facebook.
"It was a rude attempt and it is not the first," the ministry added in a post. According to her, Blinken "mocked a perfectly legitimate reaction" in the context of security agreements between Kazakhstan and Russia.
Kazakhstan, the largest country in Central Asia, is rocked by a wave of protests Sunday in the province after rising fuel prices before spreading to other cities, most notably Almaty, the country's financial capital, where protests erupted in protest. outbreak of chaotic and deadly episodes.
A contingent of forces from Russia and other allied countries in Moscow arrived in Kazakhstan on Thursday to support the country's authorities, protecting strategically important buildings and providing support to law enforcement.
Source: RES-EAP