Demonstrators in Kyiv and Kharkov, cities in Ukraine have flown the blue and gold flag of Kazakhstan high, where Russian troops have been sent to suppress ongoing riots.
With their country’s fate being discussed in this week’s US and Russia talks, Ukrainians gathered on the streets over the weekend to guard the country’s independence and champion an additional cause in support of Kazakhstan’s protests.
On Sunday, January 9, 2022, demonstrators in Kyiv and Kharkov, Ukraine’s second-largest city, held signs that boldly read “Say no to Putin” and hovered the Kazakhstan flags alongside Ukraine’s.
The blue and gold Kazakhstan flag also appeared in the winter skies over Kyiv on Saturday, flown from a drone in an act of protest organised by a group called Dronarium, which is an unmanned aerial vehicle enthusiast community known for making political statements.
In the words of the drone operator, Vitaly Shevchuk, “every nation has the right to protect their socio-economic and political rights through peaceful protest. We condemn violence in any form, but we also oppose foreign military intervention in Kazakhstan under the guise of a peacekeeping operation, which is more like punitive action and risks becoming an occupation.”
Drone operator, Vitaly Shevchuk
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Holding a week of violent protests that began over fuel price hikes that spread across the country, leaving some 164 dead, 2,000 injured and having almost 6,000 arrested. However, a Russian-led military alliance has now restored control of Kazakhstan to the government.
A statement by the Russian Defence Ministry indicated that the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), an alliance, consisting of several former Soviet states, deployed about 2,500 troops to Kazakhstan to help subdue the protest, along with Russian paratroopers who are guarding “vital facilities and social infrastructure.”
On the other hand, critics have also accused Russia of “occupation” over its involvement, with Kazakh Mukhtar Ablyazov, a former minister, now turned into an opposition leader, warning President Vladimir Putin of how he will draw the country into “a structure like the Soviet Union” unless the West intervenes.
“The dictator [Putin] wants to rebuild the USSR by force,” Olga Angelova, who was among the protesters in Kyiv said.
“He must be stopped – we Ukrainians will resist the occupiers. We call on the West not to accept a Putin ultimatum,” she said, referring to this week’s talks over a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In their bid to defy Putin, rather than sharing in a common goal, Ukrainians became more motivated to continue their resistance.
Olga Angelova, who was part of the protesters in Kyiv continued to say that “the dictator [Putin] wants to rebuild the USSR by force. He must be stopped. We Ukrainians will resist the occupiers. We call on the West not to accept a Putin ultimatum,” she said, referring to this week’s talks over a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine.
By way of the US and Russian diplomats meeting this week, with talks in Geneva and Brussels beginning on Monday, January 10, 2022, the negotiations are likely to become a defining moment in the history of NATO and Russia’s relationship.
Ukraine, however, will be absent from two of the three ongoing negotiating sessions prompting the refrain; “No decisions about Ukraine without Ukraine” to be widely used, including Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s former foreign minister.
The current threat comes after eight years of low-level conflict that has caused the deaths of more than 13,000 people.
US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken last week spoke of “diplomacy and de-escalation”, but on Sunday, Washington played down expectations of a breakthrough at the talks and Russia said it would not make concessions under the auspices of US pressure.
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Experts are also divided over how the unrest in Kazakhstan could affect Putin’s position on Ukraine – whether it would avert pressure with his attention now split, or embolden him and make him less willing to compromise.
Senior Strategist at Bluebay Asset Management, Timothy Ash said “Putin is likely to be smarting and looking for a big win on Ukraine as a diversion from his humiliation in Kazakhstan.”
Senior Strategist at Bluebay Asset Management, Timothy Ash
A report by the New York Times indicated that sanctions would likely be directed at “cutting off the largest Russian financial institutions that depend on global financial transfers” in a “high-impact, quick-action response” that should have been pursued in 2014.
As it stands now, for negotiations to be successful, there must be a compromise.
Russia has offered an ultimatum in exchange for easing tensions with Ukraine – that Ukraine should never be allowed to join NATO, but the offer has already been rejected by the US and NATO.
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