Protests and state of emergency in the cities of Kazakhstan. The main thing

Local protests in Kazakhstan, which began due to higher gas prices, became nationwide on the third day. The President signed a decree on the resignation of the government.

Latest at 17:15 Moscow time

President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev addressed the nation and announced the resignation of Nursultan Nazarbayev from the post of HEAD of the Security Council of the republic. This position was taken by Tokayev himself. He called the protesters organized "conspirators" and promised to act against them as harshly as possible. He also denied reports of his flight. “Whatever happens, I will be in the capital. <...> Soon I will come up with new proposals for the political transformation of Kazakhstan. I remain on the same position of consistent reforms,” the president said. According to Tokayev, the situation inspires concern for the integrity of Kazakhstan. There are dead and wounded among the military and employees of law enforcement agencies - they suffer losses, the president noted. In Kazakhstan, the Internet is turned off, some television channels have stopped broadcasting. The commandant of Alma-Ata, Kanat Taimerdenov, said that pogroms had begun in the city. According to him, on the night of January 5, 120 cars were burned in the city, 120 shops and trade facilities, 180 catering establishments, about 100 offices of small and medium-sized businesses were broken. During the riots, more than 500 civilians were beaten, including 130 women and old people. The Kremlin said Kazakhstan did not ask for help. The country's authorities will cope with the situation themselves, the main thing is that there is no outside interference, said the press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov. The Russian Foreign Ministry called for dialogue in the country. Protesters in Alma-Ata seized the building of the city administration and the old residence of the country's president. The buildings were on fire. In Almaty, protesters looted the weapons warehouse of the Korgan store. According to him, on the night of January 5, 120 cars were burned in the city, 120 shops and trade facilities, 180 catering establishments, about 100 offices of small and medium-sized businesses were broken. During the riots, more than 500 civilians were beaten, including 130 women and old people. The Kremlin said Kazakhstan did not ask for help. The country's authorities will cope with the situation themselves, the main thing is that there is no outside interference, said the press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov. The Russian Foreign Ministry called for dialogue in the country. Protesters in Alma-Ata seized the building of the city administration and the old residence of the country's president. The buildings were on fire. In Almaty, protesters looted the weapons warehouse of the Korgan store. According to him, on the night of January 5, 120 cars were burned in the city, 120 shops and trade facilities, 180 catering establishments, about 100 offices of small and medium-sized businesses were broken. During the riots, more than 500 civilians were beaten, including 130 women and old people. The Kremlin said Kazakhstan did not ask for help. The country's authorities will cope with the situation themselves, the main thing is that there is no outside interference, said the press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov. The Russian Foreign Ministry called for dialogue in the country. Protesters in Alma-Ata seized the building of the city administration and the old residence of the country's president. The buildings were on fire. In Almaty, protesters looted the weapons warehouse of the Korgan store. about 100 offices of small and medium-sized businesses. During the riots, more than 500 civilians were beaten, including 130 women and old people. The Kremlin said Kazakhstan did not ask for help. The country's authorities will cope with the situation themselves, the main thing is that there is no outside interference, said the press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov. The Russian Foreign Ministry called for dialogue in the country. Protesters in Alma-Ata seized the building of the city administration and the old residence of the country's president. The buildings were on fire. In Almaty, protesters looted the weapons warehouse of the Korgan store. about 100 offices of small and medium-sized businesses. During the riots, more than 500 civilians were beaten, including 130 women and old people. The Kremlin said Kazakhstan did not ask for help. The country's authorities will cope with the situation themselves, the main thing is that there is no outside interference, said the press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov. The Russian Foreign Ministry called for dialogue in the country. Protesters in Alma-Ata seized the building of the city administration and the old residence of the country's president. The buildings were on fire. In Almaty, protesters looted the weapons warehouse of the Korgan store. so that there is no outside interference, said the press secretary of the President of RUSSIA Dmitry Peskov. The Russian Foreign Ministry called for dialogue in the country. Protesters in Alma-Ata seized the building of the city administration and the old residence of the country's president. The buildings were on fire. In Almaty, protesters looted the weapons warehouse of the Korgan store. so that there is no outside interference, said the press secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov. The Russian Foreign Ministry called for dialogue in the country. Protesters in Alma-Ata seized the building of the city administration and the old residence of the country's president. The buildings were on fire. In Almaty, protesters looted the weapons warehouse of the Korgan store.

Recent events

On January 4, despite the promise of the authorities to lower gas prices in the Mangistau region, protests swept across the whole of Kazakhstan - protests took place in the capital Nur-Sultan, the country's largest city, Alma-Ata, and in other cities - Karaganda, Uralsk, Taldykorgan, Kyzylorda, Shymkent. The demands of the protesters turned from socio-economic to political: the resignation of the government. In some cities, crowds chanted "Shal, ket" ("Grandfather, go away"), referring to the former president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev (he bears the title of the first president-leader of the nation and heads the country's Security Council). The protests do not have a clear leader.

Clashes between security forces and protesters in Kazakhstan. Photo report Photo gallery 

President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev appealed to the people not to follow the calls of "destructive individuals interested in undermining the unity of society." “I again appeal to you [with a request] to show prudence and not succumb to provocations from within and from outside. <...> The power will not fall, but what we need is not conflict, but mutual trust and dialogue,” he said.