President of Kazakhstan, an ally of Russia, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev ordered on Friday to take "urgent measures" to protect his country's civilian and military infrastructure. UNN reports with reference to Lemonde.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev instructed the Prime Minister, the Presidential Administration, the heads of all security agencies (army, special services, police, prosecutors) and local leaders to take urgent measures to protect key civilian and military facilities in connection with the escalation of the situation around Ukraine
He recalled that Kazakhstan regularly calls on Moscow and Kyiv to negotiate to end the war "between the two Slavic peoples.
On Wednesday, Vladimir Putin is to visit Kazakhstan. Astana is in a balancing act with regard to the war in Ukraine, supporting Ukraine's territorial integrity and strengthening its ties with the West, but not openly condemning the Russian invasion.