With the political and social crisis taking place in Kazakhstan, the Russian Ministry of Defense is using dozens of cargo jets to fly its peacekeepers into the country. About 74 Ilyushin Il-76 and five Antonov An-124 jets are being used in the operation.
In videos, it is possible to see the boarding of BTR and BMD-4 armored vehicles, as well as logistic trucks on Aerospace Forces aircraft.
On January 05th, troops from the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization) were sent to Kazakhstan to contain the population that, since the 02nd, has been participating in violent protests against the increase in the price of LPG.
The increase in gas prices, announced by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, caused a wave of protests that got out of hand. The population invaded and set fire to public buildings and even groups using horses participated in demonstrations against the government.
In this way, Tokayev and the Prime Minister fled the country and even ordered the police to shoot to kill. With the arrival of CSTO troops, it is expected that the situation will return to control.
Protesters even took control of the airport in the capital Almaty, which was resumed with the arrival of Russian troops. The troops were transported in nine Ilyushin Il-76 planes according to Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov. The military remains in place.
In a statement, the Russian Ministry of Defense informed that "the airborne units of the Russian contingent of the CSTO peacekeepers, who carried out previous marches, are departing from the airfields of Chkalovsky, Ivanovo-Severny and Ulyanovsk-Vostochny.”
The folder also states that “the units of the Russian peacekeeping contingent that had previously arrived on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan began to carry out their tasks.”
Pursuant to the decision of the CSTO Collective Security Council adopted on 6 January 2022, the Collective Security Treaty Organization Peacekeeping Forces were deployed to the Republic of Kazakhstan for a limited period to stabilize and normalize the situation.
They included units from the armed forces of Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. The main tasks of the Collective Peacekeeping Forces of the CSTO will be the protection of important military and state installations, assistance to the law and order forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan in stabilizing the situation and returning to the legal field.
