Russia deploys soldiers with combat experience to Kazakhstan
Russian military personnel flying to Kazakhstan / Russian Ministry of Defense
All Russian servicemen who have been transferred to Kazakhstan have "real combat experience," says the Defense Ministry of Russia. These are units of the 45th Special Forces Brigade of the Airborne Troops, the 98th Airborne Division and the 31st Separate Brigade of the Airborne Troops. They have previously participated in operations abroad, including in Crimea in 2014.
More than 70 Il-76 and five An-124 aircraft are transporting Russian military and armored vehicles to Kazakhstan. Russian planes have transported Belarusian military personnel to Kazakhstan as well (the exact number is unknown). Colonel General Andrey Serdyukov, commander of the Russian Airborne Troops, was appointed head of the "CSTO peacekeepers" in Kazakhstan. In particular, Russian paratroopers helped Kazakh law enforcers to secure the airport in Almaty.
Meanwhile, in Kazakhstan, people protest against foreign military personnel being sent to the country.
