Kazakhstan Protests Subside... Over 6,000 Arrested Nationwide

Almaty International Airport Expected to Resume Operations from the 10th
Rapid Suppression as Russian Troops Deployed and Armed Forces Granted Authority to Fire

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] It has been reported that the large-scale protests occurring nationwide in Kazakhstan since the beginning of the new year have entered a lull phase. With the harsh crackdown by military and police forces and the deployment of Russian troops, more than 6,000 people have been arrested nationwide and over 2,000 casualties have occurred, leading authorities to regain control over major government offices. The previously closed Almaty International Airport is also expected to reopen soon.

According to foreign media including Russia's TASS news agency on the 9th (local time), Kazakhstan police announced that since the protests began on the 2nd, 6,044 people have been arrested nationwide, and most of the government offices occupied by protesters have been reclaimed. The office of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also stated in a press release that "order in Kazakhstan has stabilized, and the administrative buildings occupied by protesters are now under government control." Accordingly, Almaty International Airport, which was closed last week due to occupation by protesters, is expected to reopen from the 10th.

The Kazakhstan Ministry of Health reported that 164 people died during the protests, and about 2,200 were injured. The Ministry of Interior stated that the estimated property damage amounts to 175 million euros (approximately 238 billion KRW), over 100 companies and banks were attacked, more than 400 vehicles were damaged, and about 1,300 military and police personnel were injured.

The protests began as a reaction to the Kazakhstan government's significant reduction of subsidies for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) at the start of the year, which caused a sharp rise in prices of essential goods and spread nationwide. Believing that its own military and police forces were insufficient to suppress the protests, the Kazakhstan government requested the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a security alliance of six former Soviet states led by Russia, to dispatch peacekeeping forces on the 6th, resulting in the deployment of Russian troops.

Immediately after the Russian troop deployment, from the 7th, the Kazakhstan government granted military and police forces the authority to fire at protesters without prior warning to restore order, and rapid suppression of protests has been reported nationwide.

Although the instigators behind the unrest have not yet been clearly identified, the Kazakhstan government claims that the protests were triggered by terrorists supported by foreign entities. The government also stated that a significant number of detainees arrested by the police are foreigners but has not disclosed further details.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.