Ex-adviser to Nazarbayev called the “conspiracy of security officials” one of the reasons for the crisis in Kazakhstan

Former adviser to the first President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, former Minister of Culture and Information Yermukhamet Yertysbayev considers the betrayal of the heads of security forces to be one of the reasons for the riots in the country, which resulted in the seizure of administrative buildings and transport hubs.

In his opinion, what is currently happening in Kazakhstan has become the most serious crisis “in 30 years in the entire post-Soviet space.” “The scale of such an attempted coup d’état, an armed rebellion, is striking,” Yertysbayev stressed, speaking on the air of the Kazakh state TV channel Khabar 24. Ertysbayev’s words also leads RIA Novosti.

According to Yertysbayev, the actions of the protesters could be organized so well only with the participation of “traitors from the highest echelon of power, especially law enforcement agencies.”

“The President (Tokayev) spoke openly two days ago about the conspiracy and conspirators,” Yertysbayev added. “I have exclusive information (after all, I was in the civil service for 30 years) that, for example, 40 minutes before the attack on the airport, an order was given to completely remove the cordon and security.” Yertysbayev called the protesters who participated in the seizure of buildings “terrorists, monsters and murderers.”

In the early days of 2022, mass protests began in Kazakhstan. Residents of the cities of Zhanaozen and Aktau in the Mangistau region opposed a two-fold increase in prices for liquefied petroleum gas. Then the protests spread to other cities. On January 4 and 5, clashes with security officials took place, the police used gas and stun grenades. Throughout Kazakhstan, the Internet was turned off, and the broadcasting of a number of TV channels was temporarily stopped.

On January 5, the media reported capture protesters at the airport in Almaty. “There are now about 45 invaders at the airport. When they entered, our employees left the airport, – said the press service of the airport. – At the time of the seizure, there were no passengers in the terminal. We quickly evacuated passengers in advance. The military left the airport, but we do not know when they left. ” The authorities later regained control of the airport.

On January 5, the country’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared a state of emergency for two weeks in the Mangistau and Almaty regions, as well as in Almaty and Nur-Sultan. Then the state of emergency was extended until January 19 to the entire territory of Kazakhstan.

On the morning of January 5, Tokayev dismissed the government and headed the republic’s Security Council, removing the first head of state, Nursultan Nazarbayev, from this post. In addition, the president stressed that the authorities will act as tough as possible in relation to offenders.

On the night of January 6, Tokayev held the first meeting of the Security Council under his leadership, at which he called the situation in Kazakhstan “undermining the integrity of the state” and said that he had asked the CSTO for help “in overcoming the terrorist threat.” On the same night, the CSTO Collective Security Council decided to send collective peacekeeping forces to Kazakhstan in connection with Tokayev’s appeal. Russian military transport aviation is involved in the transfer of military personnel to Kazakhstan from the Russian Federation, Belarus, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia.

January 7, President of Kazakhstan Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev accused “Free media” and “foreign figures” in aiding and abetting violations of law and order in Kazakhstan.