Situation in Kazakhstan: Security Officers Killed, “Armed Criminals,” and Russian Troop Deployment

The SBU is taking a number of measures on the country's territory in connection with the unrest in Kazakhstan.

On January 6, the press service of Kazakhstan's Interior Ministry reported that during protests and riots in Kazakhstan, police detained 2,298 people. 

It was also reported that 18 security force personnel were killed, but there was no information about slain protesters. The Interior Ministry said 748 internal affairs officers and National Guard servicemen were injured. 

Kazakhstan's state TV channel, for its part, reported 26 killed, whom it calls “armed criminals,” 18 wounded and more than 3,000 detained. 

President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced that on the sixth day of protests, constitutional order has been “mostly” restored in all regions of the country. 

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev
President of Kazakhstan

Local authorities are controlling the situation. But terrorists are still using weapons and damaging citizens' property. Therefore, counterterrorism operations should continue until the militants are completely eliminated. 

Military transport aviation aircraft of the Russian Federation are transferring the main forces of their CSTO contingent to Kazakhstan from airfields in Moscow, Ivanovo and Ulyanovsk regions. 

“The main forces of the Russian CSTO peacekeeping contingent continue to be transferred to the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan from airfields in Moscow, Ivanovo, and Ulyanovsk regions. Airborne Forces units from the Russian CSTO peacekeeping contingent, which previously marched, are at the loading airfields Chkalovsky, Ivanovo-Severny, and Ulyanovsk-Vostochny,” Russian media reported, citing the Russian Defense Ministry. 

Airborne Forces units are currently loading standard equipment and weapons. “Units of the Russian peacekeeping contingent that arrived earlier in the Republic of Kazakhstan have begun carrying out assigned tasks and ensuring the reception and deployment of the main forces of the peacekeeping contingent,” the Russian Defense Ministry said. 

At the same time, the SBU is working out a number of measures on the country's territory in connection with the unrest in Kazakhstan. 

“Given the current situation in Kazakhstan, the Security Service of Ukraine, within its powers, is taking a set of measures, including operational ones, in order to effectively protect the security of Ukrainian citizens. Especially given the Russian factor and likely provocations by Russia that could discredit our state in the international arena and harm its interests. It is precisely for these purposes that individual citizens of Kazakhstan are being checked and communicated with. That is, ordinary work is underway within the framework of current legislation and the service's functional duties,” the SBU said. 

The SBU explained its conversation with a person who was presented online as a member of the headquarters of the opposition movement “Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan” — Zamanbek Tleuliev.

The agency claims its employees behaved politely and correctly, did not obstruct video filming by citizens of Kazakhstan. Given the latter's concern, the National Police were called to the scene, which recorded that everything took place without violations and within the framework of Ukrainian legislation. 

The SBU noted that as of today, none of the citizens of Kazakhstan has been detained: “However, since certain individuals show signs of illegal stay on Ukrainian territory, appropriate materials have been prepared and will be transferred to the State Migration Service.” 

Also, a source in law enforcement agencies told UP that the SBU has certain information about possible provocations by Russian special services regarding “Ukraine's involvement” in the unrest in Kazakhstan, and therefore the special service is working out a preemptive action algorithm.