Without directly commenting, CENTOM told The Diplomat that “plans for shared military environments involving our partners in Kazakhstan are currently underway.” 

Fears of continued instability and uncertainty over the government’s course of action may cause more people to decide to leave Kazakhstan.

Though smaller in scale, ongoing protests highlight the economic inequality that lies at the center of Kazakh discontent.

A great deal depends on how Kazakhstan recovers from the disorder and orients itself toward the changing international security terrain.

Officially, 227 people were killed in “Bloody January” and nearly 1,000 remain in detention. But what really happened?

“They fight among themselves for power, and ordinary people suffer.”

“Let us pay tribute to the historical merits of the first president… and leave possible miscalculations as a warning to the future leaders of our country," Tokayev said.

In asking Kazakhstan's rich to "pay their dues" Tokayev is addressing an aspect of public anger, but also might just be securing himself in power.

The Russian-led CSTO military bloc has faced a critical test in the region.

A blue line was crossed; the international community must respond.

The statement from the First President came just after evidence of elite conflict began surfacing in earnest, with suggestions of a purge of Nazarbayev elites.