Footage Shows Russian Troops Guarding Almaty Airport In Kazakhstan Amid Unrest
This footage shows Russian troops guarding Almaty Airport in Kazakhstan as part of the CSTO forces that were called in by the president of the country amid unrest triggered by a rise in fuel prices.
The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is a military alliance that includes Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
Rioting in the country led to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev requesting assistance from the alliance, which sent thousands of troops into the country on 6th January.
This footage shows some of the troops guarding Almaty Airport. It was shared online by the Russian Ministry of Defence, which said: “Units of the Russian peacekeeping contingent of the CSTO collective peacekeeping forces, sent to the Republic of Kazakhstan, carry out tasks to protect important state and socially significant facilities.
“Air Force personnel from the peacekeeping contingent have been protecting and ensuring the security of Almaty International Airport since the beginning of the operation in the Republic of Kazakhstan.”
Russian soldiers can be seen guarding strategic points at the airport and also handling day-to-day operations. Other images show Russian soldiers assembling and launching a drone to monitor the perimeter. The footage ends showing armoured personnel vehicles patrolling the area.
The Russian MoD also said: “Military personnel are on duty around the clock at posts and observation towers, patrol the territory and the perimeter of the airport in armoured personnel carriers as part of groups, and also exercise control in the area of the international airport using unmanned aerial vehicles.
“Also, Russian military personnel, together with colleagues from Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, perform tasks to protect thermal power plants, industrial bakeries, television centres, and water supply enterprises.
“To control the situation in the areas where missions are being performed, units of the CSTO collective peacekeeping forces have organised aerial reconnaissance by unmanned aircraft.”
The Department of Information and Mass Communication of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation also said: “In accordance with the decision of the CSTO Collective Security Council, adopted on January 6, 2022, the Collective Peacekeeping Forces of the Collective Security Treaty Organization have been sent to the Republic of Kazakhstan for a limited time to stabilise and normalise the situation.
“They include units of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic.
“The main tasks of the Collective Peacekeeping Forces of the CSTO will be the protection of important state and military facilities, assistance to the forces of law and order of the Republic of Kazakhstan in stabilising the situation.
“From the Russian Federation, subdivisions and military units of the Airborne Forces have entered the CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces.”
