CSTO Peacekeeping Contingent In Kazakhstan Did Not Fire At Protesters - Tokayev

The peacekeeping contingent of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), deployed to Kazakhstan to help bring the situation under control following riots in the country in early January, did not fire a single shot, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Saturday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th January, 2022) The peacekeeping contingent of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), deployed to Kazakhstan to help bring the situation under control following riots in the country in early January, did not fire a single shot, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Saturday.

"The CSTO peacekeeping contingent was involved based on the relevant documents of the organization. It was perfectly legal. The CSTO peacekeeping contingent, having arrived in Kazakhstan, did not fire a single shot. From the very beginning, an agreement was reached that this contingent would perform the functions of support, that is, the protection of strategic facilities," Tokayev said in an interview with the Khabar 24 broadcaster.

The president dismissed reports that Kazakhstan owes Russia for its involvement and the deployment of the CSTO peacekeepers and assured that there were no conditions set by Moscow, nor were there any payments mentioned by Russian President Vladimir Putin during the two leaders "many lengthy talks."

Kazakh law enforcement agencies also did not use weapons against peaceful protesters during the unrest, Tokayev added. He said the situation was chaotic and he had to take personal responsibility for the use of weapons against those who took to the streets in January since law enforcement officials refused to take initiative even when there was violence.