CSTO intervention in Kazakhstan (January 2022)

Alliance structure

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (Russian ODKB, English CSTO) is a Russian-led security alliance founded in Tashkent in 1992. Its current members are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. Its legal basis is the 1992 Treaty as amended by the Protocol of April 2, 1999.

Activation in January 2022

In the course of the Qantar uprising, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev requested intervention on January 5, 2022 under Article 4 of the CSTO Treaty (collective assistance). The CSTO Council, chaired by Armenia, granted the request that same day. The intervention was the first in the alliance's history.

Course and mandate

The CSTO troops — predominantly Russian, but also Belarusian, Armenian, Tajik and Kyrgyz — took over the protection of strategic objects (government buildings, airports, energy facilities) for several weeks. They were gradually withdrawn starting January 13, 2022, with the formal conclusion on January 19, 2022. Any direct participation in combat operations is officially denied.

Implications under extradition law

The intervention demonstrates Kazakhstan's close security-policy ties with Russia — relevant to the German extradition review, in particular with regard to the risk of secondary extradition to Russia. Diplomatic assurances safeguarding the rule of specialty (Section 11 IRG) must expressly cover the non-transfer to third states.

← Back to the glossary index