President Tokayev fulfilled the demand of the people

The world is following the mass unrest in Kazakhstan, where residents of the cities of Zhanaozen and Aktau in the Mangistau region took to the streets on January 2, calling for a reduction in fuel prices. People suddenly at gas stations faced with the fact that the price of liquefied gas increased from 60 to 120 tenge (0.77 Azerbaijani manat). Later, protests spread throughout Kazakhstan. After a meeting with the protesters, the authorities announced a reduction in the price of liquefied gas in the Mangistau region, but the situation has not stabilized. Protesters rioted and police fired flashbangs. In the capital Nur-Sultan, all these days it was quiet, as if no one had heard of the protests in the west of the republic.

The government agreed to give in to the protesters so as not to lose everything

The economy of Mangistau is based on the oil and gas sector, which accounts for more than 90 percent of the total volume of industrial products produced in the region. It is believed that representatives of the passionary Kazakh clan Adai live compactly in this region.

On January 3, the government of the republic disseminated a message that "the owners of gas stations in the Mangistau region, within the framework of the social responsibility of business, have taken a proactive decision to reduce the cost of gas from 120 to 85-90 tenge per liter." However, the unrest did not stop, as the protesters are demanding a price of - 50 tenge, which is less than the previous cost of a liter of liquefied gas. Then, on January 5, Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Yeraly Tugjanov, on the square in Aktau, read out the decision of the government commission to reduce the price of liquefied gas to 50 tenge, as demanded by the protesters.

On the morning of January 5, it became known about the resignation of the government of Kazakhstan. The duties of the prime minister will be temporarily performed by Alihan Ismailov. Other personnel changes took place in the republic. Tokayev has appointed a new secretary of state and deputy head of the National Security Committee.

On January 5, attempts were made to attack local administrations in three cities of Kazakhstan. The President of Kazakhstan decided to declare a state of emergency in the Alma-Ata region. Almaty's largest international airport in Kazakhstan is operating normally, although security measures have been strengthened. The situation on Republic Square in the center of Almaty is currently calm, the perimeter is cordoned off by fighters of the National Guard.

More than 200 people were detained for disturbing public order in Kazakhstan. President Tokayev placed special blame for allowing the protest situation on the government, urging the people not to succumb to provocations "from within and from outside." The director of a gas processing plant in the city of Zhanaozen, the main supplier of liquefied gas to the population, was arrested. He is accused of unreasonably raising the price of liquefied gas.

Russia is silent, protesters blame Moscow

Social networks and instant messengers are disabled in Kazakhstan, which makes it difficult to obtain information from primary sources. Moscow-based KP.ru reports that the partial satisfaction of the protesters' demands has caused confusion in their ranks. Now they are acting out of sync: some demand a reduction in food prices, others - the resignation of the government, and still others - the expansion of social benefits. Against this background, a nucleus of organizers stands out with political slogans: Russia has padded Kazakhstan for itself and it is time for Kazakhstan "to leave the EAEU."

Analysts' forecast the beginning of the "gas revolution" in Kazakhstan (by analogy with the "pink", "velvet" and others in the CIS and Asia, has not yet been justified. But the mass unrest, although calmed down, did not completely stop.

Moscow did not express its attitude to the events in Kazakhstan, although according to experts, Russia is the main external culprit of the events. "Foreign media write about 'nationalism' in Kazakhstan, the 'outflow of Russians' from the Central Asian country, in which Russia is losing ground and at the same time increasing the influence of China," Azattyq.org reported in September 2021. Kazakhstan is moving away from Russia: the outflow of the Russian population has weakened Moscow's levers of influence on Nur-Sultan, in these conditions, the influence on the Central Asian republic is strengthening China, which cannot but worry the Kremlin. This is stated in an article on the American website Jamestown foundation, the author of which analyzes the ties between Kazakhstan and Russia. The "Russian" regions of Kazakhstan at this stage will wait. Moscow's position is to wait and act according to the situation," noted the blogger of the Caucasian Knot.

Russian State Duma deputies and "Kremlin-connected experts" have recently been discussing whether Kazakhstan will become the "next Ukraine", justifying this by the fact that an allegedly hostile republic to Moscow will be an obstacle, not a bridge, to the spread of Russian influence in Asia, the author continues. ... “They demand that we act boldly and quickly before the situation with our southern neighbor gets out of control,” the author says about the rhetoric of Russian politicians. “The recent events in Kazakhstan related to the creation of 'language patrols' that require service in the Kazakh language have alarmed Russian observers,” notes Paul Goble.

Official Baku is also watching the events in the brotherly country and does not express its attitude.