Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets across cities in the Central Asian nation of Kazakhstan over rising LPG and fuel prices. The government in response has resigned, signalling a political and national crisis in the region's largest economy.

The police said that Kazakh security forces have killed dozens of demonstrators during their operation to restore order in the country's largest city and former capital, Almaty. Security forces said that 12 security personnel were also killed and 353 injured in the agitation.

What are the protests about?

The protests in Kazakhstan began after the government lifted its cap on prices of liquified petroleum gas (LPG). The move was part of the gradual phasing out of subsidies on fuel in the country, and a shift to electronic trading of LPG. While Kazakhstan is a resource-rich country with large resources of fossil fuels like coal, crude oil and natural gas, LPG is widely used in vehicles.

The subsidies had led to structural issues where most of the fuel was exported instead of being supplied to the domestic market, which resulted in the country facing shortage of butane and propane despite being a major producer. The government hoped that the liberalisation of fuel prices would lead to more fuel being diverted to the domestic market and help alleviate the regular shortage.

However, the government's estimation was off the mark. Instead of alleviating supply issues, the prices of LPG swelled to double just a day after the subsidies ended. The doubling of prices of fuel was a huge hit for the Kazakh people, around 1 million of whom in the 19 million strong country live below the poverty line. The country had already been witnessing an inflation rate of nearly 9 percent, which was quickly eroding the wealth of individuals.

Demonstrators took to the streets in response during the weekend in western Kazakhstan, a major oil-producing area, before protests erupted all over the country. The protesters demanded that the price cap be reinstated and demanded the resignation of the government.

However, demonstrations quickly turned violent, more so after the authoritarian nation's former leader Nursultan Nazarbayev renamed the new capital after himself. Nazarbayev was replaced by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the former leader's hand-picked successor -- his victory came with claims of a heavily doctored election. Nazarbayev and his family also continue to enjoy significant power in the country. Protesters could be seen chanting Nazarbayev's name while attempting to pull down a bronze statue of the leader, BBC reported.

Government's response

President Tokayev has declared an emergency, and also removed Nazarbayev and his family members from several government positions. He has instructed the government to reinstate the price controls for LPG, gasoline, diesel along with other 'socially important' consumer goods.

Nonetheless, President Tokayev did not shied away from criticising the protesters. Tokayev called the protesters 'terrorist gangs' and called the current demonstrations as a terrorist threat.

"Terrorist gangs are international, they have underwent (sic) extensive training abroad and their attack on Kazakhstan can and should be viewed as an act of aggression. ... In this regard and relying on the Collective Security Treaty, today I reached out to the heads of the CSTO member-states to assist Kazakhstan in overcoming this terrorist threat," Tokayev said in a televised broadcast, reported news agency Sputnik.

Security forces have also been firing at demonstrators in the city of Almaty to control things. Reports have stated that internet access has been shut across the country and messaging apps were banned.

Russian Angle

Kazakhstan, as a former Soviet-state, is a member of the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). Other countries in the organisation include Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

Kazakhstan had called out to the CSTO states to lend aid in restoring order in the country. CSTO confirmed that peacekeepers in the form of Russian paratroopers were being dispatched, reported the BBC.

This marks the second time in two years that Russia was intervening in countries facing social demonstrations. Russian President Vladimir Putin had sent assistance to Belarus in 2020, after widespread protests threatened to topple the country's first and only president Alexander Lukashenko.