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UPDATE: In Almaty outskirts, there are clashes between airborne units of Qazastan armed forces and well-armed coordinated terrorist gangs.
President of Kazakhstan Tokayev appealed to the CSTO leaders for support.
According to some sources, servicemen of the 45th regiment of the Airborne Forces of Russia in Kubinka are on alert, and are preparing to be transferred to Qazaqstan. Military units of other CSTO member states are also reportedly ready to be deployed.
An anti-terrorist operation was launched in Almaty, the airport was liberated. The airport is now being transferred to normal operation, according to deputy head of the city administration Yerzhan Babakumarov.
On January 4, the protests in Qasaqstan turned into violent clashes with law enforcement forces. On January 5, first casualties were reported. At the moment, central cities of all regions are witnessing unrest. A state of emergency has been declared in several regions, including in the capital Nur-Sultan.
Chaos is spreading in the country’s largest city and the former capital of Almaty.
The protesters seized and staged a pogrom at the airport, the staff were evacuated.
The Police Department and the building of the city’s akimat (administration), where the fire broke out, were also seized. Demonstrators occupied the former residence of the president in Almaty as well.
Meanwhile on the streets, the protesters use small arms in large numbers. The building of the National Security Committee, including the weapons storage, was seized. It means that a large number of firearms will fall into the hands of the rioters.
The situation in Almaty is rapidly developing. On the evening of January 4, in the city with a population of one and a half million citizens, there were only about 10 thousand active protesters. At that time, the clashes with the police broke out.
The police and the National Guard did not put up any significant resistance. This inspired radical nationalists and religious extremists to join the ranks of the protesters en masse. The crowd mostly grew due to the members of numerous local gangs, and various youth factions whose mobilization potential is extremely high.
Amid the protests, they began hacking ATMs, robbing cafes, shops, and citizens on the streets. Videos of looting were instantly published online, which led to the growing sense of impunity and increased the flow of vandal into the ranks of the protesters.
As a result, on January 5, the number of protesters in Almaty significantly increased.
The mood of the crowd was also shared by some officers of the security forces.
During the day, policemen and servicemen of the National Guard received conflicting orders. None of the security chiefs was ready to take responsibility and order the use of force against the rioters.
Most of the security forces are poorly equipped, as can be seen on the videos shared online. They have old shields and batons. Most of the security forces do not have modern personal protective equipment.
At the tactical level, their commanders are unable to effectively organize the servicemen.
As a result, the protesters were able to capture policemen and National Guard officers, strip off their shoulder straps, beat them and strip them naked, driving them along the streets.
In turn, this affected the mood of the police officers. Trying to avoid humiliation, and observing the inaction of the authorities, they began to side with the protesters, handing them special equipment.
On the evening of January 5, there are dozens of killed police officers and soldiers of the National Guard, including from gunshot wounds.
In the afternoon of January 5, the Internet was completely cut down across the country, telephone communications were almost completely blocked. This led to a sharp drop in video content from the spots. This measure should favorably affect the stabilization of the situation.
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In his turn, President Tokayev made a live statement, claiming that he took up the post of the head of the National Security Council of Qazaqstan, removing Nursultan Nazarbayev from the office.
“From today, the Chairman of the Security Council intends to act harshly. Whatever happens, I will be in the capital.”
He also said that the protests are a coordinated attempt of an armed coup.
“There are mass attacks on law enforcement officers in our beloved city. There are dead and wounded among them. Mobs of bandit elements beat up military personnel, mock them, drive them naked through the streets, abuse women, rob shops. The situation threatens the safety of all residents of Almaty. And this cannot be tolerated…. The high organization of hooliganism elements draws attention. This indicates a well thought-out plan of action of the conspirators, who are financially motivated,” Tokayev said, addressing the nation.
The current government still has the opportunity to contain the situation, relying on the Belarusian experience. It is urgently needed to carry out reinforcement and redeployment of security forces, by creating well-equipped armed mobile units.
The opposition has no leader yet, various odious personalities, including a fugitive Qazaq oligarch Mukhtar Ablyazov and local nationalists claim this role. The formation of a political coordination council among the protesters should be expected soon. There are various field leaders with diverse backgrounds who will join the process. The question remains whether they will be able to grow from local leaders of street protests into political leaders or become field commanders.
