Russia and China Respond to Events in Kazakhstan

Jan. 6, 2022 (EIRNS)—Russia’s Foreign Ministry said that the current unrest in Kazakhstan stems from a foreign-inspired attempt to undermine Kazakh state security. “We consider the recent events in a friendly country to be a foreign-inspired attempt to use armed and trained groups of people forcibly to undermine the security and integrity of the state,” Sputnik quoted Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying yesterday. Russian troops have deployed to Kazakhstan as part of the forces from the Collective Security Treaty Organization requested by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. CSTO peacekeepers from Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, will assist authorities from Kazakhstan, also a CSTO member.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic similarly suggested that foreign intelligence agencies were behind the riots in multiple cities in Kazakhstan. Likewise, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko observed: “Everything happened synchronously. Everything was pre-planned. In terms of coordination, the external interference is obvious.”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin was more circumspect, replying to media only: “China and Kazakhstan are friendly neighbors and permanent comprehensive strategic partners. In China’s view, what is happening in Kazakhstan is its domestic affair. We believe that the Kazakh authorities can properly resolve the issue. We hope the situation could stabilize as soon as possible and normal social order could be restored.”