MOSCOW, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry said Thursday that it views the riots in Kazakhstan as an attempt, stoked by the outside, to undermine the country's security and integrity with trained armed formations.
In a statement published on its website, the ministry noted the rapid degradation of the internal political situation and the growth of violence in Kazakhstan.
Earlier on Thursday, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) decided to send Collective Peacekeeping Forces to Kazakhstan for a limited period of time to stabilize the situation in the Central Asian country.
The Collective Peacekeeping Forces include troops from Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
Moscow, reaffirming its adherence to the commitments within the framework of the CSTO, supports the adoption of such urgent measures, said the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Russia will continue close consultations with Kazakhstan and other allies in the CSTO to work towards early restoration of normal life in Kazakhstan, it said.
Kazakhstan, particularly its largest city of Almaty, has been rocked by violent protests sparked by dissatisfaction over surging fuel prices.
The tensions escalated on Wednesday, with protesters storming the main government building in Almaty, setting police vehicles on fire, and attacking the regional branch of the ruling Nur Otan party.
