Russian Peacekeepers From Collective CSTO Forces Leave Almaty - Defense Ministry

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th January, 2022) More Russian peacekeepers who had been deployed to Kazakhstan as part of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) mission have left the city of Almaty and are on their way to Russia, the Russian Defense Ministry informs.

The peacekeepers, who had completed their tasks as part of the CSTO mission, are carrying military equipment with them and are expected to land at the Chkalovsky airfield near Moscow, as well as the Ulyanovsk Vostochny Airport, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

On Sunday, the ministry said that 19 aircraft carried out the transfer of Russian peacekeepers from Almaty to the Chkalovsky airfield.

Peacekeepers from Armenia, Belarus and Uzbekistan have already returned home from Kazakhstan.

The return of all CSTO peacekeepers is scheduled to be completed by January 19.

A wave of protests swept across Kazakhstan earlier this month, following a sharp rise in gas prices. Despite the government's attempts to quell the discontent and promises to bring the prices down, violence erupted in Kazakhstan and protests turned into riots, looting and clashes with law enforcement officers.

The government declared a state of emergency until January 19. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev asked for CSTO assistance in resolving the crisis situation and peacekeepers were sent into Kazakhstan. The CSTO mission wrapped up earlier this month and peacekeepers began to withdraw on January 13.