NUR-SULTAN, January 8 – RIA Novosti. In the cities of Kazakhstan with a stable situation, the work of gas station networks is resumed, supplies are stabilized, refineries are operating normally, the Ministry of Energy of the republic reported on Saturday.
“In the regions and cities of Kazakhstan with a stable situation, the work of gas station networks is resumed,” the ministry said in a statement.
Mass protests in Kazakhstan began in the first days of 2022 – residents of the cities of Zhanaozen and Aktau in the west of the country opposed a twofold increase in prices for liquefied gas. Later, the protests spread to other cities, including Alma-Ata, the old capital and the largest city of the republic: looting began there, militants attacked state institutions, took weapons. In response, the authorities imposed a state of emergency across the country until January 19 and launched a counter-terrorism operation. According to the UN, about 1 thousand people were injured during the protests in Kazakhstan. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic, 18 security officers were killed.
On the morning of January 5, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev dismissed the government and headed the Security Council. At the first meeting of the Security Council under his leadership, Tokayev described the situation in Kazakhstan as undermining the integrity of the state and said that he had asked the CSTO for help “in overcoming the terrorist threat.” The CSTO Collective Security Council has decided to send collective peacekeeping forces to Kazakhstan to normalize the situation in the country. On January 7, Tokayev said that terrorists, including those who arrived from abroad, continue to resist, and promised to destroy those who do not lay down their arms. In addition, the President noted that all the demands of citizens expressed in peaceful forms were heard.