(Bloomberg) — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared that order had largely been restored in Kazakhstan following efforts to suppress mass protests that erupted over fuel price increases and have left dozens of people dead.
Russia and its allies dispatched more troops to help quell the demonstrations, with 75 planes used by the government in Moscow to deploy units, according to the Interfax news service. Russian forces helped retake the airport in Almaty and will guard the country’s consulate and other important objects, it said.
The intervention marks the second major move by the Kremlin in as many years to shore up an ally facing upheaval. In 2020, President Vladimir Putin stepped in to back Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko’s crackdown on popular protests, which drew sanctions from the U.S. and its allies.
Key Developments:
- Main story: Kazakh President Says Troops Restored Order as Crackdown Goes On
- Why Kazakhstan Protests Reverberate Beyond the Region: QuickTake
- Uranium Surges as Unrest Grips World’s Top Supplier
- Russia Legislator Sees Kazakh Mission Lasting Only A Few Weeks
- Hal Brands: ‘Putin Doctrine’ Is Clear in Ukraine and Kazakhstan
- Copper Rises With Base Metals as Kazakhstan Threatens Supply
China Says It Supports Efforts to End ‘Chaos’ (2:07 p.m. Almaty)
China cited “strong measures” by the authorities in Kazakhstan to crack down on the unrest, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a regular news briefing Friday in Beijing.
“China supports all efforts that help the Kazakh authorities end the chaos as soon as possible, firmly oppose external forces’ acts to deliberately create social unrest and incite violence,” Wang said.
Russia Helps Retake Airport (1:56 p.m. Almaty)
Russian paratroopers helped in the operation to retake the Almaty airport, the Defense Ministry said, according to Interfax. Andrey Serdyukov, the commander of the Russian Airborne Troops, will head the Collective Security Treaty Organization operation in the country.
Moscow is using 75 planes to fly troops into Kazakhstan, according to the ministry. Those forces will also guard Russia’s Consulate General and other important objects.
Tokayev Says Order Generally Restored (6:59 a.m. Moscow)
Tokayev told a meeting of law enforcement authorities that order had largely been restored in all regions of the country, according to a post on his official website. He said local authorities were in control of the situation, although he blamed “terrorists” for continuing to use weapons to damage property. He vowed to press ahead with operations, saying that the joint security forces had begun to arrive.
Interior Ministry Says Over 3,000 People Detained (6:47 a.m. Moscow)
The Kazakh Interior Ministry said more than 3,000 people had been detained, Interfax reported, citing an agency statement. The ministry said 26 people had been killed and 18 were injured.
Biggest Kazakh Oil Field Adjusts Output (09:08 p.m. Moscow)
Kazakhstan’s biggest oil producer has altered output at the giant Tengiz oil field amid unrest and protests in the country. “There has been a temporary adjustment to output due to logistics,” Tengizchevroil, the field’s operator, said in a statement. It added that “a number of contractor employees” had gathered at the field in support of the protests across Kazakhstan.
Troops Clear Main Square in Almaty, Tass Reports (7:14 p.m. Moscow)
Troops cleared the main Republic Square in Almaty after many protesters fled when shooting started, Tass reported, citing an eyewitness account. Witnesses said there were dead and wounded at the scene, though there was no official confirmation of fatalities, it said. Government forces also regained control of the city administration building and the presidential residence in Almaty, Tass reported, citing Khabar-24 TV.
Blinken Calls for ‘Rights-Respecting’ Resolution to Crisis (6:37 p.m. Moscow)
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged the Kazakh government to seek a “peaceful, rights-respecting resolution to the crisis” after a phone call with his counterpart the country, Mukhtar Tuberculin. The U.S. will back the country’s “constitutional institutions and media freedom,” the department said in a readout of the phone call.
The European Union expressed “great concern.” Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, said on Twitter that “rights and security of civilians must be guaranteed.”
Almaty Situation ‘Most Difficult,’ Interior Ministry Says (6:20 p.m. Moscow)
The security situation Almaty is “the most difficult” as authorities attempt to put down protests, the Interior Ministry said, according to Interfax. Protesters had seized government buildings including the airport in the city and gunfire was heard as security forces moved in.
Turkey’s Erdogan Offers Tokayev Solidarity, Technical Knowledge (6:09 p.m. Moscow)
Turkey is ready to share any kind of technical knowledge or experience with Kazakhstan if needed, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his Kazakh counterpart in a phone call.
Erdogan expressed his solidarity with authorities in Kazakhstan and underlined the support of other members of the Organization of Turkic States, including Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, according to a statement.
Kazakh Firms Say Operations So Far Little Affected by Protests (5:52 p.m. Moscow)
ArcelorMittal, which has both mining and steelmaking assets in the country, said that the situation in the central Karaganda region, where its operations are located, remains calm. Russian steelmaker Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel, which sources iron ore from Kazakhstan for its operations, also said shipments are running.
There’s been an adjustment production at the Tengiz oil field, the nation’s largest, according to Tengizchevroil, the operator of the asset. A person familiar with the matter said earlier that the change was small.
Heavy Gunfire Erupts in Almaty, Tass Reports (3:52 p.m. Moscow)
The sound of heavy shooting and large explosions were heard from one of the city’s squares, according to Tass, which also reported injuries. Military officials called for people to leave the square over loudspeaker and warned that it would open fire, Tass said.
Uranium Deliveries Not Affected by Kazakh Unrest, Top Miner Says (3:28 p.m. Moscow)
Kazakhstan’s top uranium miner, Kazatomprom, said supplies of the radioactive metal used for nuclear fuel haven’t been disrupted by the unrest and work at all company units has continued. Kazakhstan produces more than 40% of the world’s uranium; prices for the metal jumped.
“We are fulfilling all our obligations easily, there are no problems with uranium shipments and we will meet all delivery deadlines,” Kazatomprom Chief Commercial Officer Askar Batyrbayev said in a phone interview.
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