Personnel and military equipment from the Russian contingent of the CSTO peacekeeping forces at the airfield in Almaty WASHINGTON, 10 Jan. The first hours of operation of the CSTO peacekeeping contingent in Kazakhstan demonstrated its effectiveness, said Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov. Thus, the diplomat responded to attempts in Washington to question the legitimacy of the anti-terrorist operation, as well as the presence of CSTO forces in Kazakhstan. «The first hours of operation of the CSTO peacekeeping contingent in Kazakhstan. demonstrate its effectiveness, focus on restoring peace and constitutional order. All decisions to send collective forces to Kazakhstan were made on the basis of the CSTO statutes and at the request of the country's legitimate president, Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev, «Antonov said on the embassy's Facebook page. The diplomat called on all the democratic forces of the world to help the Kazakh authorities recover from the recent turmoil, and not try to undermine the situation in the country even more. 
MFA of Kazakhstan: among the attackers there are people with experience in hot spots Riots in Kazakhstan Mass protests in the republic began in the first days of 2022, the reason for the discontent of the residents of the cities of Zhanaozen and Aktau in the west of the country was a twofold increase in the price of liquefied petroleum gas used for refueling cars. Subsequently, people took to the streets in other cities, there were several clashes with the security forces of the republic, there are casualties from all sides. The participants in the events, whom the authorities call militants or terrorists, made several attempts to storm administrative buildings and police departments, they were repulsed. According to the UN, about a thousand people were injured during the protests in Kazakhstan. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the republic reported that 16 security officials were killed. 
Thanks to the CSTO in Kazakhstan, it was possible to turn the tide, the expert said. Until January 19, a state of emergency is in effect throughout Kazakhstan, the authorities are cleaning the squares from the instigators of the shares. President Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev dismissed the government and ordered the regulation of selling prices for fuel, but the unrest continued. He also headed the Security Council, at the first meeting of which he called the situation in Kazakhstan «undermining the integrity of the state» and said that he had turned to the CSTO for help. During the riots, members of the organization sent collective peacekeeping forces to the republic to guard administrative and diplomatic buildings and help local military maintain law and order. Tokayev said on Friday that terrorists, including those who arrived from abroad, continue to resist. He promised to destroy those who did not lay down their arms. The authorities heard all the demands of citizens, expressed in peaceful forms, he added.
