Shoigu Maintains Covert Cooperation with CSTO Member States

The Russian Defense Minister, Army General Sergey Shoigu, is in constant working contact with the defense minister of Kazakhstan. This was reported by the Russian military department, according to TASS agency.

It is noted that the head of the Russian military department cooperates through covert channels with his counterparts from CSTO member states, including Armenia, Belarus, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan, discussing the transfer of peacekeeping forces and the implementation of peacekeeping operations in Kazakhstan. Agreements are being reached on all issues.

It should be noted that mass protests began in Kazakhstan on January 2. Initially, residents of the cities of Zhanaozen and Aqtau took to the streets to voice their protest against rising gas prices. Later, the protests spread across the country. The authorities announced that they would review gas tariffs, but the situation in the country did not stabilize. In the context of the protests, Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared that he would now head the country's Security Council.

According to a decision made by the Collective Security Council of the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization) on January 6, 2022, CSTO collective peacekeeping forces were temporarily deployed to Kazakhstan to stabilize the situation and establish order in the country.