DISINFO: The Ukrainian secret service coordinated protests in Kazakhstan
SUMMARY
It became known that Ukrainian special services coordinated the actions of the pogromists in Kazakhstan. Ukrainian special services were not only directly involved in the preparation of the January riots in Kazakhstan, but also coordinated the actions of the rioters.
RESPONSE
An emerging disinformation claim using the unrest in Kazakhstan to discredit Ukraine. The claims are provided with no evidence.
The pro-Kremlin media frequently falsely portray popular protests around the world as instigated from abroad, often by the US and the West. The disinformation narrative has been applied, among others, to reports about protests in Georgia, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Belarus, Venezuela, Slovakia, Hong Kong, with the aim of portraying protest movements as aggressive actors who constantly prepare new coups.
The trigger and immediate cause of the protests in Kazakhstan was the government's lifting of price controls on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) that took place in early January. France 24 reports that this measure caused gas prices to more than double for Kazakhs, many of whom depend on LPG for its low cost.
There are however more deep-rooted causes for the protests in a country that suffers from lack of democracy, corruption and economic difficulties despite being rich in economic resources. For example, Kazakhstan ranks 128 out of 167 countries in the 2020 Democracy Index, and also ranks 94 out of 180 countries in the 2020 Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index (CPI).
See also the statement by the EU High Representative here.