Kazakhstan may punish Russian TV host over ‘look at Ukraine’ threat

ALMATY, April 27 (Reuters) – Kazakhstan might declare a outstanding Russian tv host persona non grata after he mentioned the Central Asian nation might meet the identical destiny as Ukraine if it didn’t facet decisively with Russia, a Kazakh official mentioned on Wednesday.

Though it has not condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Kazakhstan, an oil-rich former Soviet republic, has known as for the disaster to be resolved in step with the United Nations constitution, has despatched humanitarian assist to Ukraine, and has mentioned it would abide by Western sanctions towards Moscow.

Tigran Keosayan – married to Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the Kremlin-backed media outlet RT – mentioned on his YouTube present that Kazakhstan was being “ungrateful” and “sly” by failing to indicate its assist for Russia.

Kazakh International Ministry spokesperson Aibek Smadiyarov mentioned Keosayan’s feedback had been “insulting” and lacked objectivity.

“Maybe his assertion displays the views of some elements of the Russian public and political institution, nevertheless it goes towards the spirit and essence of the cooperation between our international locations and the present agreements between our leaders,” he added. learn extra

“I anticipate he shall be included within the record of people who find themselves not welcome in Kazakhstan.”

Kazakhstan has shut financial ties with Russia, in addition to a a big ethnic Russian minority amongst its 19 million individuals.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev additionally obtained armed help from the Russian-led Collective Safety Treaty Organisation (CSTO) to place down anti-government riots in January. learn extra

Nonetheless, Kazakhstan has additionally attracted a whole bunch of billions of {dollars} in Western funding, principally within the oil and gasoline sector, and says its international coverage follows a “multivector” method.

Reporting by Olzhas Auyezov; Enhancing by Kevin Liffey

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