What began as demonstrations over fuel costs escalated into a widespread revolt against corruption and economic inequality in Kazakhstan.

Protests in Kazakhstan, which began over rising fuel prices in the country’s western regions, have rapidly evolved into a broader outcry against systemic corruption and inequality. As unrest continues, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has called upon a Moscow-led security alliance to deploy “peacekeeping troops” to help restore order.

The protests first erupted over the weekend in response to fuel price hikes, but quickly spread across the country, particularly to Almaty and other major cities. Demonstrators are voicing frustration with not only economic issues, such as the rising cost of living, but also with the entrenched corruption that many feel has persisted under the leadership of Tokayev and his predecessor, Nursultan Nazarbayev, who governed Kazakhstan from its independence in 1991 until 2019. Although Nazarbayev officially stepped down, he has maintained significant power behind the scenes.

Tokayev has vowed to take a hardline approach, blaming “terrorists” trained abroad for the violence, while the government’s efforts to suppress the protests have led to widespread communication blackouts, making it difficult to verify casualty figures.