In Kazakhstan, the military contingent led by Russia began its withdrawal from the country on Thursday, January 13. A solemn departure ceremony bringing together soldiers from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a military alliance led by Moscow, took place in the morning in Almaty. Behind the usual congratulations, there were also some tensions between Russia and Kazakhstan.
With our correspondent in Moscow, Anissa El Jabri
” The peacekeeping operation is over, the tasks have been completed. The sentence is from Russian General Andrei Serdioukov, the commander of the contingent of just over 2,000 Russian, Belarusian, Armenian, Tajik and Kyrgyz soldiers who are all due to leave on January 22.
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The security of infrastructure and buildings will once again be the responsibility of the Kazakhstani security forces.
This return to normal is taking place against a backdrop of slight friction between the two countries. The profile of the new Kazakh Information Minister does not appeal to everyone. ” He is russophobic “, Some media and officials in Russia accuse. Critical remarks from May 9, during the commemoration of World War II, or this address allegedly made to the Russian minority in the country are reported: “ Remember you are not natives. “
The minister in question asked not to be demonized, but too late: the boss of Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, advised him not to go to Baikonur, the famous Soviet space base, today rented by the Russia in Kazakhstan until 2050.
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