PARIS, Jan 17, by Anastasia Ivanova. Fugitive Kazakh banker Mukhtar Ablyazov, who lives in France, said in an interview with RIA Novosti that he called on protesters in Kazakhstan to occupy administrative buildings during the riots. Earlier, Ablyazov said that the protests in Kazakhstan were coordinated by the organizational headquarters in Kiev.
"We called for occupying administrative buildings. Do not grab, in Russian there is a (word) "knock". To occupy is to fill oneself", he said.
According to the fugitive banker, this is exactly what was written in the algorithm developed by the so-called opposition. At the same time, as Ablyazov assures, it was not about pogroms and seizures. He accused provocateurs of organizing shooting and looting, while the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan had previously reported that militants were behind the incident. The fugitive banker claims that there were no foreigners at the protests, although earlier Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said that foreign fighters, including those from Afghanistan and the Middle East, took part in the aggression against the country.
The CSTO Secretary General assessed the chances of a new surge of unrest in KazakhstanAccording to the authorities of Kazakhstan, more than 50 state facilities and 1,300 objects belonging to entrepreneurs were damaged during the unrest. The mayor's office of Alma-Ata was burned down. In addition, hospitals, hospitals and other healthcare facilities were attacked. Ablyazov has been living abroad for many years. In Kazakhstan, the court found him guilty of creating a criminal community and embezzling BTA Bank funds, the damage exceeds $7.5 billion. The unregistered movement «Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan» headed by Ablyazov is recognized in the country as an extremist organization. In addition, the ex-head of BTA Bank was sentenced in absentia to life in prison for the murder of business partner Yerzhan Tatishev in 2004. In the first days of 2022 in Kazakhstan, protests due to rising fuel prices turned into riots. People took to the streets, clashes with security forces and looting began, there are victims and injured on both sides. A state of emergency was introduced on the territory of the country, the government was dismissed. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev ordered the introduction of regulation of selling prices for fuel. He called what was happening an act of external aggression and turned to his CSTO partners for help. Members of the organization sent collective peacekeeping forces to the republic during the unrest, which guarded administrative and diplomatic buildings and helped the local military maintain law and order. On Thursday, January 13, they announced the successful completion of the CSTO mission, now the peacekeepers are returning from Kazakhstan.