Armenian Peacekeepers Return Home from Kazakhstan

YEREVAN — Armenian servicemen sent to Kazakhstan as part of a CSTO peacekeeping force have returned to Armenia.

The troops were part of a 2,500-strong military contingent deployed by Russia and four other former Soviet republics making up the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization.

Ria Novosti reports that the one hundred Armenian servicemen were flown to Armenia on Russian Aerospace Forces planes. The Armenian contingent guarded the Aksai grain factory and the Druzhba pumping station.

Yesterday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin that the withdrawal of peacekeepers from Kazakhstan, which began on January 13, will end on January 19.

Putin stressed that the rule of law in Kazakhstan had been restored with the help of the CSTO peacekeepers.

“Indeed, this is the first such action of the CSTO forces. We worked together to accomplish a very important task. It will allow the leadership of the Republic of Kazakhstan to make decisions in a free, calm regime, having a dialogue with the public on socio-economic and political issues,” Putin said.

“In general, we must return home. We have fulfilled our task,” Putin added.

Servicemen from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have also left Kazakhstan.