Kazakhstan Says Coup Bid Foiled Ahead Of This Weeks Presidential Election

 

France 24: Kazakhstan says coup bid foiled ahead of presidential election 

Kazakhstan said Thursday it had prevented a coup attempt by supporters of an exiled opposition figure as it arrested seven people ahead of a presidential election this weekend. 

On Sunday, Kazakhstan will hold a snap presidential vote expected to cement incumbent Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's grip on power, months after deadly unrest shook the Central Asian country and left more than 230 people dead. 

The National Security Committee said a group of seven people planned to "organise riots and a coup and proclaim a provisional government," adding that the suspects "share the views of exiled opponent Mukhtar Ablyazov".  

Read more .... 

More News On Kazakhstan  

Kazakhstan Detains Group Planning 'Riots' Ahead Of Vote (RFE)  

Kazakhstan presidential election: Five things to know about the country -- AFP  

Will Kazakhstan's Presidential Election Be A Turning Point? (RFE)

Kazakhstan Protest Death Toll Rises To 225

 

The Hill: Unrest in Kazakhstan leaves 225 dead  

The violent protests that erupted in Kazakhstan at the beginning of January have left 225 people dead, according to the prosecutor general's office. 

Serik Shalabayev, the head of criminal prosecution at the prosecutor's office, said on Saturday that 225 people, including 19 security force members, have been killed, Reuters reported. 

Security forces killed the protesters and armed "bandits,” as Shalabayev called them, after protests erupted over high fuel prices and the autocratic government that has been in charge for more than 20 years.  

Read more .... 

Kazakhstan Protest Death Toll Rises To 225 

Kazakhstan protest death toll rises to 225, up from 164 -- Euronews/AP  

Kazakhstan puts unrest death toll at 225 -- Reuters  

Kazakh authorities say 225 people killed in violent unrest -- Al Jazeera  

Official death toll in Kazakhstan unrest announced -- RT  

In Kazakhstan, opacity around civilian casualties and arrests of activists -- France 24 

'Fight Far From Over' For One Kazakh Protester, Despite Clampdown On Demonstrations -- RFE  

Kazakhstan activists recall path from protest to bloodshed -- AP  

Scepticism in uneasy Kazakhstan as president promises reform -- The Guardian 

Russia Will Establish Bases in Kazakhstan, Increase Influence in Central Asia -- Newsmax 

Kazakhstan: Did 'anti-terrorist' operation hide battle between political clans? -- France 24  

Aftermath: Peacekeepers And Destruction In Kazakhstan -- RFE

Kazakh President Declares ‘Coup D’etat’ Over. Says Order Has Been Restored

 

RFE: Kazakh President Says Week Of Deadly Unrest Was 'Attempted Coup,' Without Citing Evidence  

NUR-SULTAN -- Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev has blamed "a single center" for trying to seize power in the oil-rich Central Asian state in recent unrest as a Russian-led military alliance met for talks to update the situation around a wave of deadly public unrest sparked by a fuel price hike last week that shook the region. 

In a speech to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) on January 10, Toqaev said calm had returned to the country after protests calling for reforms in the tightly controlled authoritarian country erupted into a spasm of violence, the worst in the Central Asian state's 30 years of independence. 

In Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city, protesters stormed and briefly seized the airport. For several days, sporadic gunfire was reported in the city streets.  

Read more .... 

More News On The Unrest In Kazakhstan  

Live Updates: CSTO Will Not Allow 'Colour Revolutions' in Region, Putin Warns -- Sputnik  

Kazakhstan unrest was coup attempt, says president -- BBC  

President of Kazakhstan says he has weathered attempted coup d'etat -- Reuters

Kazakhstan’s President Describes Protests as Coup Attempt -- VOA 

Kazakh President says he's weathered a coup, after detaining nearly 8,000 people in violent protests -- ABC News Australia  

Kazakhstan crisis: President claims violent protests were 'attempted coup d'état' -- Euronews  

Kazakhstan’s leader blasts riots as coup d’etat plot -- TASS  

Kazakhstan Has Weathered an Attempted Coup D'Etat, President Tokayev Says at CSTO Summit -- Sputnik  

Kazakhstan crisis ‘attempted coup’ – President -- RT  

Foreign Militants From Afghanistan, Mideast Countries Took Part in Kazakhstan Riots, Tokayev Says -- Sputnik  

Constitutional order in Kazakhstan restored, Kazakh leader says -- TASS  

Kazakh president unveils death toll among law enforcement following nationwide unrest -- TASS  

Kazakh Leader Says Order Restored: "Coup" Thwarted & 164 Killed - 8,000 Arrests -- Zero Hedge  

Nearly 8,000 detained in Kazakhstan amid unrest -- AP  

Kazakhstan says nearly 8,000 arrested after week of deadly unrest -- France 24  

Militants from Afghanistan, Mideast took part in Kazakhstan riots, says president -- TASS

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials On The Unrest In Kazakhstan -- January 9, 2022

 

Peter Leonard, The Guardian: Inequality is driving protest against Kazakhstan’s authoritarian government 

Almaty, the commercial capital of Kazakhstan, is the kind of mirage that oil-rich nations so often produce. It has all the trappings of comfort and consumer excess: swanky shopping malls, luxury car dealerships, high-end hotels. 

This is the image of prosperity that the country’s rulers enjoy projecting to the world. For decades, Kazakhs have been encouraged to take out expensive loans to experience their share in the dream: to buy flats, cars and even holidays they can barely afford. 

Beyond the limits of Almaty and the capital city, Nur-Sultan, however, the illusion begins to look threadbare. And the causes behind the protests currently gripping the central Asian nation come into focus. Average monthly salaries are less than £450 ($600). Police, doctors, teachers and all kinds of government workers supplement their meagre pay with bribes. 

Read more .... 

WNU Editor: If I was living in Kazakhstan and earning only a few dollars a day, I would be joining the protests after reading stories like this one .... Kazakh despot's daughter, 41, splashed £220m fortune on £18m luxury jet and £8.75m mansion in London spending spree (Daily Mail). 

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- January 9, 2022  

The Kazakhstan protests escalated quickly. Here’s why -- Pauline Jones, Regina Smyth, Washington Post  

High Gas Prices Are Fueling Massive Protests In Kazakhstan -- Steve DaSilva, Jalopnik  

Anger, injustice and politics brought people to the streets in Kazakhstan -- Paolo Sorbello, Open Democracy  

What’s Really Behind the Unrest in Kazakhstan? -- Mark Episkopos, National Interest  

As order is restored in Kazakhstan, its future remains murky -- Shaun Walker, The Guardian  

Cold War-style power grab plays out with deadly consequences on the streets of Kazakhstan -- Tim Lister, CNN  

Kazakhstan, Russia, and why recent protests matter -- Brigid Kennedy, The Week  

Kazakhstan’s unrest narrative derailed by confusion and blackout -- Peter Leonard, Eurasianet  

Here's why the unrest in Kazakhstan is wreaking havoc on crypto and commodity markets -- Isabelle Lee, Markets Insider

Unrest In Kazakhstan -- News Updates January 9, 2022

 

BBC: Kazakhstan unrest: At least 164 killed in crackdown on protests, reports say 

At least 164 people have died in Kazakhstan during violent anti-government protests, according to media reports citing health officials. 

If confirmed it would mark a sharp rise from the previous figure of 44 deaths. 

Almost 6,000 people have been arrested, including "a substantial number of foreign nationals", Kazakhstan's presidential office said on Sunday. 

The demonstrations, triggered by a rise in fuel prices, turned into huge riots as they spread across the country. 

They started on 2 January and grew to reflect discontent at the government and former President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who led Kazakhstan for three decades and is still thought to retain significant influence. 

Last week, troops from countries including Russia were sent to Kazakhstan to help restore order. 

The presidential statement added that the situation had stabilised, with troops continuing "cleanup" operations and guarding "strategic facilities". 

A state of emergency and a nationwide curfew remain in place. 

Read more .... 

Unrest In Kazakhstan -- News Updates January 9, 2022  

Live Updates: Blinken Reportedly Says Shoot to Kill Order in Kazakhstan 'Wrong' -- Sputnik  

Kazakhstan says 164 killed in week of protests -- AP  

More than 150 deaths and thousands arrested after Kazakhstan unrest -- France 24  

Kazakhstan says 164 people were killed in week of unrest -- The Guardian  

Kazakhstan death toll spikes as 164 reported killed and thousands detained in violent protests -- CNN  

Kazakh Authorities Say Nearly 6,000 Detained In 'Anti-Terrorism' Sweep -- RFE  

Kazakhstan: More than 160 killed, 5,000 arrested during riots -- Al Jazeera  

Thousands detained after Kazakhstan unrest -- DW  

Amid Kazakhstan unrest, Almaty residents seek bread and information -- DW

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials On The Unrest In Kazakhstan -- January 8, 2022

 

Paul Bartlett, Moscow Times: Kazakhstan Wakes Up 

There has long been a disconnect between what Kazakhstan's government wants to offer the public and what the people need.

It’s been a while coming but Kazakhstan has finally woken up, with alarming scenes of government buildings in flames and thousands of protesters filling the streets and clashing with security forces coming out of Almaty, Kazakhstan’s commercial hub. 

In scenes quickly replicated across the country, protesters, initially fired up by fuel price hikes that came into effect on Jan. 1, took to the streets. 

The government backtracked on the price rises but the protesters' demands had already moved on, with calls for more political involvement and the final removal from power of former president Nursultan Nazarbayev. 

The rallying cry of “Shal Ket”, (Old Man Out), a reference to Nazarbayev, could be heard at protests across the country. 

But the calls are more about dismantling the corrupt system that the “Leader of the Nation,” a title bestowed upon Nazarbayev, has bequeathed to Kazakhstan.  

Read more ....  

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials On The Unrest In Kazakhstan -- January 8, 2022

Maps and charts to understand Kazakhstan’s protests -- Al Jazeera  

Why Violence Has Exploded in Kazakhstan -- Anna Akage, Worldcrunch 

Inequality is driving protest against Kazakhstan’s authoritarian government -- Peter Leonard. The Guardian  

The Nazarbayev Era Is Over in Kazakhstan -- Nastassia Astrasheuskaya, FT  

Kazakhstan's Unprecedented Crisis -- Paul Stronski, Carnegie  

EXPLAINER: Kazakhstan seeks Russia-led security group’s help -- AP  

Resource-rich Kazakhstan invites Putin to guard its henhouse -- Paul Roderick Gregory, The Hill  

Kazakhstan, Russia, and why recent protests matter -- Yahoo News  

Will Unrest in Kazakhstan Inflame Tensions Between Russia and the West? -- Foreign Policy  

Russian intervention in Kazakhstan risks ‘destabilising' ethnic divides -- France 24  

Kremlin Fears 'Color Revolution' in Kazakhstan -- Jamie Dettmer, VOA  

Putin’s Kazakh gambit tightens his grip on ex-Soviet space -- Oksana Antonenko, Politico 

Kazakhstan protests: A nightmare or an opportunity for Russia? -- DW  

Putin taking a risk in Kazakhstan and may hope for reward -- The Guardian  

Russia’s Involvement in Kazakhstan’s Crisis Could Have Wide Implications -- Moscow Times 

 How protests in Kazakhstan could become a geopolitical crisis -- Jen Kirby, VOX

Kazakhstan Detains Former Security Chief

 

Moscow Times/AFP: Kazakhstan Detains Ex-Security Chief on Suspicion of Treason 

The former head of Kazakhstan's domestic security agency has been detained on suspicion of treason, the agency said Saturday, after he was fired amid unprecedented unrest. 

The detention of Karim Masimov, a former prime minister and longtime ally of Kazakhstan's ex-leader Nursultan Nazarbayev, was the first major move against a top official in the biggest crisis the ex-Soviet Central Asian republic has faced in years. 

 Nazarbayev's spokesman meanwhile denied rumors the ex-president had left the country and said he was urging Kazakhs to rally around the government.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: The Kazakh government needs to blame someone for what is happening. But I doubt that making the ex-security chief be the "fall-guy" is going to work. The anger at the government is clearly there, and we all learned this week that it crosses all segments of the population. 

Kazakhstan Detains Former Security Chief  

Kazakhstan unrest: Ex-intelligence chief arrested for treason -- BBC 

Former anti-terror chief arrested over Kazakhstan protests -- AP  

Kazakhstan arrests ex-intelligence agency chief for treason -- DW  

Kazakhstan's ex-security chief Karim Massimov arrested for treason amid violent unrest -- ABC News Australia 

Kazakhstan detains former national security chief on suspicion of treason -- The Guardian  

Ex-Kazakh security chief arrested on suspicion of 'high treason' -- RT

Top security official is detained as protest-roiled Kazakhstan settles into edgy calm -- Washington Post

Russian Paratroopers Deployed To Kazakhstan Are Permitted To Use Deadly Force

This handout image grab taken and released by the Russian Defence Ministry on January 6, 2021 shows Russian paratroopers boarding a military cargo plane to depart to Kazakhstan as a 'peacekeeping' force  

Daily Mail: Shooting stops in Kazahstan after Putin's Paras arrive: Russian force of 2,500 'peacekeepers' say they have right to KILL if attacked by 'armed gangs' after nation descended into violent chaos 

* 2,500 soldiers of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) are headed for Kazakhstan 

* The first CSTO troops arrived earlier today to aid Kazakh forces in quelling violent protests across the country 

* The troops of Russia's 'mini NATO' could stay in Kazakhstan for weeks and are permitted to use deadly force 

* Officials have said over 1,000 people have been wounded so far, with no official fatality tally being released 

* Russian media said Thursday 18 security officers had been killed, with three reportedly being beheaded 

* Gunfire continued Thursday evening, with witnesses saying downtown Almaty had turned into a 'war zone' 

Around 2,500 soldiers of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) have arrived in Kazakhstan to help quell violent protests, the secretariat of the security bloc said today. 

The forces from Russia's 'mini NATO' will stay in Kazakhstan for several days or weeks, and have been given the right to use weapons in Kazakhstan in case they are attacked by 'armed gangs,' according to Russia's RIA news agency. 

After they arrived the shooting qwuietened down at the end of a day when gunfire and explosions had rocked the capital Almaty.  

Read more ....  

Update: Russia-led bloc reveals if peacekeepers will use deadly force in Kazakhstan (RT)  

WNU Editor: Russian media reports are saying that these forces will only be deployed to strategic locations (i.e. airports, critical infrastructure, government buildings, etc.). No mention on how many forces will be sent to Kazakhstan, or will they become directly involved in the fighting. 

As to what is my take on the crisis. 

The Kremlin was clearly taken by surprise. Just last week Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted both the current Kazakh president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and his predecessor Nursultan Nazarbayev in St. Petersburg at an informal summit of several post-Soviet leaders. No one anticipated that this was going to happen. 

This is also a massive intelligence failure for Russia's intelligence services. For a country and government that is a strategic partner and ally of Russia, Russia's intelligence services and foreign ministry were caught flat-footed. 

As to what do the Russian people think? I would say that a majority do not want to get involved in this mess. The Kazakhstan government has passed laws that discriminate against the Russian minority in the country, and those in the Kazakh government who have voiced support for closer ties to Moscow have been removed. 

So why the deployment of thousands of Russian troops? 

My guess is that President Putin regards the current Kazakh leadership to be far more preferable than the alternative that may replace them.  

Update #2: Here are two good analysis of the situation (see below).  

Russia Takes a Gamble in Kazakhstan (Dmitri Trenin, Carnegie Moscow Center)  

Russia’s Involvement in Kazakhstan’s Crisis Could Have Wide Implications (Felix Light, Moscow Times)

Dozens Of Protesters And Security Officers Killed In Kazakhstan -- News Updates January 6, 2021

 

Daily Mail: Carnage in Kazakhstan: Armed forces gun down more demonstrators as streets are turned into a battleground and protesters are accused of 'beheading three police officers' 

* Officials have said over 1,000 people have been wounded so far, with no official fatality tally being released 

* Russian media said Thursday 18 security officers had been killed, with three reportedly being beheaded 

* Gunfire continued Thursday evening, with witnesses saying downtown Almaty had turned into a 'war zone' 

* Late Wednesday, protesters down a statue of Nursultan Nazarbayev - the self-styled 'Father of the Nation' 

* Nazarbayev is said to have fled to Russia or China, with Russia sending in troops to help quell the protests 

* Corpses in a mortuary in Almaty on Thursday indicated the scale of the carnage in the escalating unrest 

* Horrific footage taken from the morgue showed rows of corpses covered in white sheets or black bin bags 

Armed forces in Kazakhstan gunned down more demonstrators today as the streets of Almaty were turned into a 'war zone', with protesters being accused of beheading three police officers. 

Burnt-out vehicles littered the city's streets, several government buildings were in ruins and bullet casings were strewn over the territory of the presidential residence, which was stormed and looted by protesters yesterday. 

Meanwhile, troops from a Moscow-led military alliance arrived as 'peacekeepers' help quell mounting unrest after President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev - an ally of Russia's Vladimir Putin - appealed overnight to the Russia-dominated Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), which includes five other ex-Soviet states.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: This is too little too late .... Kazakhstan unrest: Government restores fuel price cap after bloodshed (BBC). More here .... Kazakh government introduces temporary state control of fuel prices, utility rates (TASS). 

Dozens Of Protesters And Security Officers Killed In Kazakhstan -- News Updates January 6, 2021  

Dozens of protesters, 12 police dead in Kazakhstan protests -- AP  

Deadly clashes rock Kazakhstan's largest city as crisis escalates -- France 24  

Fresh violence in Kazakhstan after Russia sends troops to put down uprising -- Reuters  

Kazakhstan unrest: Machine gun fire heard as street battles rage -- BBC  

Dozens of protesters and police dead amid Kazakhstan unrest -- The Guardian  

Gunfire, street fights erupt in Kazakhstan’s metropolis -- RT  

Kazakhstan: Deadly clashes in Almaty protests -- DW 

Kazakhstan in flames as three cops found BEHEADED in bloody uprising & Putin flies in tanks to crush fuel-price riots -- The SUN  

Kazakhstan officer beheaded, protesters killed as government offices are targeted amid unrest -- ABC News Australia  

Kazakh authorities reveal police death toll, as UN calls to ‘refrain from violence’ -- RT  

Dozens of protesters reported killed in Kazakhstan as Russia-led military alliance heads to the country -- CNN  

Mayhem in Kazakhstan: Police Officers Beheaded, Stores Looted, Hospitals Surrounded - PHOTO, VIDEO -- Sputnik  

Kazakhstan: What's behind the unrest? -- DW  

Kazakhstan unrest: Why have there been riots and deaths? -- BBC  

‘Nationalists are on the rise’: How protests in Kazakhstan turned violent & why Russia feels it can’t stay silent -- RT 

Poverty, inequality and corruption: why Kazakhstan’s former leader is no longer untouchable -- The Guardian  

In pictures: Kazakhstan protests escalate -- DW

Russia-Led Bloc Accepts Kazakh President's Plea For Military Help

 

RT: Kazakh president asks Russia-led bloc for military help 

Allied military help needed to quell actions of “terrorist bands” amid violent civil unrest in Kazakhstan, the president insists 

The Kazakh president has asked the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) for help amid violent unrest gripping the nation, claiming that “terrorists” were overrunning strategic facilities across the country.  

"I believe reaching out to our CSTO partners is appropriate and timely,” President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was quoted as saying by the media late on Wednesday.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: The alliance has agreed to send troops to Kazakhstan immediately .... Russia Military Alliance to Send Troops at Kazakhstan Leader's Request Amid Protests (Newsweek). 

In the meantime there is complete chaos in the country .... Rare protests in Kazakhstan leave scores injured and topple the former Soviet Republic's longtime leader (CBS). More here .... Gun battles in Kazakh city after govt begins ‘counter-terrorist’ op – reports (RT). 

 Russia-Led Bloc Accepts Kazakh President's Plea For Military Help  

Russia-led bloc approves peacekeeping deployment in Kazakhstan -- RT  

Moscow-led bloc to send 'peacekeeping forces' to protest-hit Kazakhstan -- France 24  

Armenia says peacekeepers from Russian-led alliance to go to Kazakhstan -- Reuters  

Kazakhstan president appeals to Russia's military alliance for help as unrest escalates -- ABC News  

Kazakh president seeks help from Russia-led security bloc -- Reuters  

Kazakh President Seeks Russian Help as Protests Turn Violent -- Daily Maverick 

Videos: Kazakh Leader Asks CSTO for Assistance as Fighting Reportedly Starts in Almaty -- Sputnik

Kazakhstan Declares State Of Emergency. Government Resigns With Violent Protests Raging Over Fuel Price Increases

 

Daily Mail: Police fire tear gas and stun grenades as thousands of Kazakh protesters torch mayor's office and government is forced to resign amid unprecedented demonstrations over fuel price hikes 

* Protesters stormed the mayor's office in Kazakhstan's biggest city, Almaty, during violent demonstrations 

* Explosions and gunfire were heard as police failed to push back the protesters 

* Demonstrations were sparked after fuel price cap was lifted at New Year 

Thousands of Kazakh protesters armed with clubs and metal bars have stormed a mayor's office as police hit back with stun grenades and tear gas amid unprecedented unrest over soaring gas prices. 

Explosions were heard in Almaty, Kazakhstan's biggest city, after demonstrators gathered at a square near the mayor's building. 

An Instagram live stream by a blogger showed a fire blazing in the office and gunshots could be heard nearby during the violent scenes.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: The President's home is now on fire .... Report: Kazakh president’s home ablaze as protests escalate (AP) 

The Kremlin has been very quiet on the unrest in Kazakhstan. Warning outsiders to stay out .... Kremlin warns against outside interference in Kazakhstan (Reuters). The country is a close ally of Russia.  

Update: The protesters have the upper hand for now .... Kazakhstan: Demonstrators gain upper hand in increasingly turbulent unrest (Eurasianet).

 

More News On the Unrest In Kazakhstan  

Kazakhstan declares state of emergency amid violent fuel protests -- France 24  

Kazakhstan government resigns as demonstrators set fire to capital -- The Hill 

Kazakhstan protests: president threatens ruthless crackdown -- The Guardian  

Kazakh president vows ‘tough’ response to violent protests -- RT  

Kazakh president vows to stay in the capital ‘no matter what’ -- TASS  

Kazakh president imposes curfew in Almaty, Mangistau Region -- TASS  

Kazakhstan unrest: Internet cut amid fuel protests -- BBC  

Kazakhstan Shuts Internet as Government Offices Burn in Protests -- New York Times

Internet switched off in Kazakhstan amid unrest – reports -- RT  

Emergency declared in Kazakhstan's capital, as fuel protests rage and government resigns -- CNN  

Kazakhstan: Protests turn deadly as Almaty mayor's office breached -- DW  

Protests Erupt In Kazakhstan After Gas Prices Double On New Year's Day -- RFE

Collapse In Oil Prices Is Devastating The Economies Of Kazakhstan And Turkmenistan

RFE: Plunge In Oil Prices Deals Another Blow To Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan

When the crucial OPEC+ meeting broke up on March 8 after major disagreement between Saudi Arabia and Russia, it sent the price of oil plunging.

Other countries dependent on oil exports for revenue could only watch with trepidation during the succeeding days as oil prices continued to sink.

Prices did finally stabilize in late March, though at levels significantly lower than they were just weeks earlier.

But the lockdowns around the world caused by the spread of the coronavirus and the accompanying reduction in economic activity resulted in a drastic reduction in the need for oil, leaving a massive glut in supplies.

There was plenty of oil but fewer customers, and storage space for the extra oil quickly reached capacity, leading to a second crash in oil prices on April 20 with West Texas Intermediate (WTI) falling briefly below $0 per barrel.

WTI's nadir dragged the price of other oils like Brent Crude and Urals down with it and some people in the oil business are saying the glut, and historically low prices, could remain for months.

On the eastern side of the Caspian Sea, the governments in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan must surely be wringing their hands in despair -- in Ashgabat more than in Nur-Sultan.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: These countries are completely dependent on oil and gas exports to sustain their economies. To be completely dependent on China to buy their product has exposed how vulnerable they are to China's demands.

Kazakhstan President Nazarbayev Resigns After 30 Years Of Power

The Guardian: Kazakhstan president Nazarbayev steps down after 30 years in power

Nursultan Nazarbayev has led oil-rich country since fall of the Soviet Union

Kazakhstan’s president has announced his retirement after nearly 30 years as leader of the central Asian nation.

Nursultan Nazarbayev has led the oil-rich country since the fall of the Soviet Union, first as its Communist leader and then as president. He made the announcement in a surprise public address on national television on Tuesday evening.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: This was unexpected. His replacement will be Kazakhstan’s Senate Speaker .... Kazakhstan’s Senate Speaker Tokayev to serve as acting president (TASS). The Kremlin is surprised .... Senior Russian lawmaker says Kazakh leader's resignation is unexpected: agencies (REuters)

More News On Kazakhstan President Nazarbayev Resigning After 30 Years Of Power

Kazakh leader Nazarbayev resigns after three decades -- BBC
Kazakhstan’s president to step down after 30 years in power -- AP
Kazakhstan's leader Nazarbayev resigns after three decades in power -- Reuters
Kazakhstan's long-serving President Nazarbayev will step down -- DW
Kazakhstan’s president announces resignation -- TASS
Kazakh President Nazarbayev Resigns -- Sputnik
Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev, a key Russian ally, resigns after almost 30 years in power -- RT
Kazakhstan's leader Nursultan Nazarbayev resigns -- Al Jazeera

Kazakhstan Rocked By A Series Of 'Extremist' Attacks

Al Jazeera: Kazakhstan: 17 killed in series of 'extremist' attacks

Unlike its Central Asian neighbours, oil-rich nation of 18 million has rarely seen attacks by religious hardliners.

At least 17 people, including 11 "extremists," were killed during a series of attacks in oil-rich Kazakhstan, an increasingly authoritarian ex-Soviet nation that has largely avoided violence by religious zealots, officials said Monday.

Groups of gunmen attacked two arms shops to seize weapons and rammed a minibus through the doors of a national guard base in the northwestern Kazakh city of Aktobe on Sunday, Interior Ministry spokesman Almas Sadubayev said in televised remarks.

He said the attackers killed three civilians and three security officers and wounded scores more, but were repelled in a counter-terrorism operation. Eleven assailants were killed and seven more captured.

Read more ....

More News On Extremist Attacks In Kazakhstan

Kazakh 'Counterterror Operation' Continues -- RFE
Kazakhstan: At Least 10 Killed in Unrest Blamed on Extremists -- Eurasianet.org
Suspected militants attack Kazakh guard base, kill six -- Reuters
Militants launch deadly attack on army facility in Kazakhstan -- DW
Five more extremists killed in Kazakhstan special operation — interior ministry -- TASS
Reports: 6 Dead in Armed Attack in Northern Kazakhstan -- AP
Police arrest, kill radical Islamist gang, after attack on military base in Kazakhstan -- RT
Kazakhstan: Gunmen attack gun shops and army unit in Aktobe -- BBC
Almost 40 people wounded in attacks in Kazakhstan’s Aktobe — ministry -- TASS
Red Terror Alert Declared After Attack in Kazakhstan -- Moscow Times
Kazakhstan issues nationwide ‘yellow’ terrorism alert after Islamist attack on military base -- RT
Why Do So Many Bad Things Happen To Western Kazakhstan? -- RFE

Is Kazakhstan's Russian Minority About To Revolt?

Washington Post: In Kazakhstan, fears of becoming the next Ukraine

ASTANA, Kazakhstan —A volatile mix building in Kazakhstan contains the same ingredients that ignited in Ukraine: a Russian minority that says it fears being under siege, rising anti-Russian nationalist sentiment and pressure on the Russian language.

Last year, Russia used that explosive combination as a pretext to annex Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula. Now, many here in this city on the steppe fear that Kazakhstan’s presidential election last Sunday may have been the last peaceful one the former Soviet republic will have and that the country may be next in Moscow’s cross hairs. President Nursultan Nazarbayev won 98 percent of Sunday’s vote, but the 74-year-old leader has done little to prepare for a successor amid widespread speculation that this term will be his final one. Kazakhs and Russians alike worry about strife when he leaves office.

About a quarter of Kazakhstan’s citizens are ethnic Russians, and many have the same grievances as their compatriots in Ukraine. Some say they feel pressured to speak Kazakh, the use of which has spread in recent years. Few Russians are represented in state leadership positions.

WNU Editor: When a minority population is discriminated by the majority .... regardless of the country .... the possibility of unrest will only expand with time. Kazakhstan fits that scenario to a tee .... but nothing is going to happen until after Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has left office.

A Growing Islamic Insurgency In Kazakhstan?

Kazakh Killings 'Act Of Terror' Says President -- BBC

Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev blamed an "act of terror" for the deaths of 15 people, found at an outpost near the border with China.

The bodies of 14 Kazakh border guards and a civilian were found at the burnt-out border post outside Almaty over the past two days.

President Nazarbayev said it was "likely it happened as a result of internal conflicts".

But he gave no further details about who he thought might be responsible.

Read more ....

Update #1: Nazarbayev Blames Terrorists for 15 Deaths at Kazakh Border -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Update #2: Deaths of 14 Kazakh guards 'act of terror': president -- AFP

My Comment: This is raising a lot of eyebrows in central Asia .... specifically in Russia and China.

Is Kazakhstan Facing Unrest?

Kazakh Unrest Sparks Questions Over Stability -- CNN

(CNN) -- Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev fired his son-in-law Tuesday from a government job, state media reported, 10 days after violent unrest broke out in the Central Asian country.

His decision to sack Timur Kulibayev, who managed a sovereign wealth fund, comes amid questions over the oil-rich nation's stability ahead of parliamentary and local elections next month.

A 20-day state of emergency was declared on December 17 in the city of Zhanaozen after clashes between police and striking oil workers left at least 14 people dead and 80 injured, state-run news agency Kazinform said.

Read more ....

More News On The Unrest In Kazakhstan

Deadly riots challenge Kazakhstan stability -- AP
Kazakhstan: President Fires Son-in-Law -- New York Times
Kazakh president bans ministers from celebrating New Year abroad -- RIA Novosti
Kazakh leader changes wealth fund head after riots -- Reuters

My Comment: The following paragraph from AP sums up why Kazakhstan is important ....

.... Instability in Kazakhstan could have far-reaching consequences. It is an increasingly important source of oil and gas, as well as uranium, zinc and copper. The Northern Distribution Network that supplies U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan goes through the Central Asian country's seemingly endless stretches of bleak steppe.

My Comment: With Pakistan`s supply routes now closed to NATO forces, a closure in Kazakhstan would guarantee a drawdown in U.S./NATO operations in Afghanistan.

Protests Continue And Spreading In Kazakhstan

After Bloody Clashes, Kazakh Protests Continue -- New York Times

MOSCOW — Several hundred people took to the streets in western Kazakhstan on Monday to protest against a bloody police crackdown on antigovernment demonstrations that has caused dozens of casualties.

The authorities have put the death toll at 14 after three days of violent clashes between the police and striking workers. Witnesses and human rights workers have said the number of dead could be many times higher. Scores more have reportedly been injured.

In an apparent effort to ease tensions, Kazakhstan’s prime minister on Monday announced the formation of a government commission to investigate the violence and address the grievances of the striking workers, the Russian news agency, Interfax, reported.

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More News On The Unrest In Kazakhstan

Kazakh oil workers renew protests after bloodshed -- Reuters
Protesters Rally in Kazakh Oil Region After Riots Leave 14 Dead -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Several thousand protest in Kazakh oil region after riots -- Indian Express
Oil strikes prompt emergency in Kazakhstan -- UPI
Unrest in West Kazakh Oil Region Under Control After 14 Deaths -- Bloomberg
Kazakh Authorities Try To Extinguish Unrest In Unruly West -- Radio Free Europe
Kazakhstan unrest leaves 14 dead -- Financial Times
Deadly riots spread in Kazakhstan oil region -- Al Jazeera
Kazakhstan’s Interior Minister police chief defends use of live rounds as protests simmer -- Washington Post/AP
Kazakhstan: Astana Keeps Tight Grip on News as Unrest Spreads -- Eurasianet.org
Mobile, internet connections cut in Kazakhstan -- Tech Eye
Clashes in Kazakhstan: inspired by the Arab Spring? -- Said Buryatsky, RIA Novosti
Riots in western Kazakhstan could destabilise the country -- The Telegraph

Is Kazakhstan Providing Nuclear Tech And Materials To Iran?

Photo: Kazakhstan President Nazarbayev (left) and Iranian President Ahmadinejad in Kazakhstan

Next Nuclear Worry For US: Kazakhstan? -- Christian Science Monitor

So far, the former Soviet state has cooperated with the US on nuclear issues. But a new report suggests that Kazakhstan might be looking to do business with other, less responsible regimes, too.

Washington - Does Kazakhstan want to increase its nuclear commerce – doing deals with other nations that have mixed records when it comes to weapons proliferation? That is a sensitive issue which US intelligence appears to be following closely.

Since it gained independence following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan has cooperated with the US on key denuclearization activities. Nuclear weapons stationed on Kazakh territory were returned to Russia and their delivery systems destroyed.

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Update: Kazakh Nuclear Intentions Questioned in U.S. -- Global Security Newswire

My Comment: Another worry for the Obama administration. So much for international sanctions against Iran.

Half Of Kazakhstan's Uranium Stolen By Ex-official: Police

Image from NTI

From Space War:

The recently imprisoned former head of Kazakhstan's state nuclear power agency stole the majority of the Central Asian nation's uranium deposits, security officials alleged on Monday.

Former Kazatomprom head Mukhtar Dzhakishev and other company officials illegally shifted ownership of uranium mines worth tens of billions of dollars through a network of offshore companies, the KNB security service said.

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My Comment: Forget about the uranium mines that he sold illegaly .... I would like to know if he sold anything else .... like fissionable material.