The President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev has said that the riots in Kazakhstan were a coup d’état attempt.
Addressing the summit of CSTO leaders, he said “preparations for the riots in Kazakhstan had been going on for a long time.” According to him, the wave of riots in Kazakhstan emerged “as if by a single command.”
The President said that the “bandit formations” in Kazakhstan were trying to take possession of weapons and military equipment. He also noted that 16 law enforcement officers were killed in Kazakhstan, the number of civilian casualties is being verified.
In addition, he pointed to the direct participation of terrorists in the riots in Kazakhstan, noting that the country will later present evidence of “preparation of terrorist aggression.”
Tokayev said the constitutional order in Kazakhstan has been restored and added that he will make proposals for a new composition of the government on January 11.
The President assured that armed forces have never been used in Kazakhstan and will not be used against peaceful protesters.
Tokayev thanked Chairman of the CSTO Collective Security Council, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, and the other leaders of the CSTO member states for their assistance in resolving the situation in the country. According to him, the mission of the CSTO peacekeeping contingent is modern and effective.
During the CSTO meeting, Tokayev offered to optimize the timing of responding to crisis situations.
