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The EU called on Russia to respect Kazakhstan’s sovereignty and independence as Russia sent paratroopers to quell the deadly unrest spreading in the former Soviet republic.
The European Commission, the EU executive, also urged all parties to exercise restraint.
“Violence must stop. We also call on all parties to exercise restraint and resolve the situation peacefully. It is now clear, the EU is ready and willing to support dialogue in this country,” an EU spokesman said. Al Araby, Thursday (6/1/2022).
The first plane with Russian peacekeepers took off for Kazakhstan on Thursday morning, as the Central Asian nation is still gripped by violent protests sparked by a sharp rise in fuel prices after the New Year.
Footage showing Russian paratroopers boarding an Ilyushin Il-76 transport plane at Chkalovsky airfield outside Moscow.
Also read: Kremlin Urges Foreign Parties Not to Intervene in Kazakhstan Crisis
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev asked for help from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) to help quell the country’s worst demonstrations since independence.
Tokayev’s plea follows riots in the country’s largest city, Almaty, and elsewhere in Kazakhstan. According to Tokayev, the riots were instigated by “international terrorists” who wanted to undermine the country’s territorial integrity.
Protests across Kazakhstan began in the first days of 2022, in response to a doubling of liquefied petroleum gas prices. The price increase was due to the government withdrawing the subsidy and submitting the price to the market mechanism.
Also read: Emergency Situation, President of Kazakhstan Asks for Russian Military Assistance Cs
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