Russia (bbabo.net), - The withdrawal of CSTO peacekeepers from Kazakhstan will end on January 19th. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced this at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In response, the head of state said that the peacekeeping forces had completed their task and that they had to return home. Putin noted that this operation played an important role in stabilizing the situation in Kazakhstan.
"Indeed, we managed to secure all vital facilities, infrastructure facilities, release a significant number of military personnel and law enforcement forces to conduct special operations inside the country," Vladimir Putin said. Sergei Shoigu noted that from the very beginning of the operation, the General Staff was in constant contact with colleagues from Kazakhstan and with all defense ministers of the CSTO member countries. "We organized an air bridge. More than eighty aircraft of military transport aviation were involved, since it was necessary to transfer the peacekeeping forces of all the countries - members of the CSTO: this is Belarus, and Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, and, of course, the contingent of Russian troops together technology," he said.
According to the minister, the entry of peacekeepers into Kazakhstan made it possible to release 1,600 people to fight the bandits who brought chaos to the country. The peacekeeping forces promptly took under protection 14 important objects for the country. "These are communication facilities, energy facilities, facilities that are responsible for the vital activity and capacity of the state," he explained.
Now the country has established sustainable governance. Therefore, a decision was made on the phased withdrawal of the peacekeeping contingent and the transfer of facilities under the protection of Kazakhstan, Shoigu said. "We are starting the withdrawal today. Tomorrow, we are withdrawing all the forces of our colleagues - Armenia, Tajikistan, Belarus, by fourteen boards. The Kyrgyz colleagues are leaving, taking into account the fact that they are nearby, on their own. Then, within five days, as the objects are transferred, the remaining peacekeeping forces will also be withdrawn ", said the minister. The entire operation will end on January 19th.
Putin said that the help from the CSTO made it possible to restore law and order in Kazakhstan. "In fact, this is the first such operation of the CSTO forces. Together, we have completed a very important task," he said. Thanks to this, according to him, the republic can already calmly and in dialogue with society solve issues of a socio-economic and political nature.
CSTO peacekeeping forces played a very important role in stabilizing the situation in Kazakhstan
“Our military transport aviation played a big role here, these are quite obvious things. We quickly managed to concentrate our necessary forces and means, resources. Everything literally worked like clockwork: quickly, smoothly and efficiently,” the president noted. Putin once again emphasized that the citizens who spoke in Kazakhstan for lowering energy prices and those who fought with weapons in their hands "are completely different people and they have different goals." The President thanked the Minister of Defense and the General Staff for the effective operation. "In general, we need to return home - we have completed our task," he said.
Meanwhile
Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Thursday. According to the Kremlin press service, the Kazakh leader spoke about measures to finally restore order in the country. He also noted the effective actions of the Collective Peacekeeping Forces of the CSTO. "Special gratitude for the help and support was expressed to the Russian Federation - a strategic partner and ally in the CSTO," the message says. Issues related to the start of the coordinated withdrawal of contingents of the CSTO member countries from the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan were also discussed.
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