Defeated ‘coup’

Says Kazakhstan leader, vows Russian troops will leave

Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said yesterday that his country had defeated an attempted coup d'etat during violence last week, and insisted that Russian-led troops called in to help quell the unrest would go home "soon".

During a video-conference of leaders from several ex-Soviet countries in a military alliance that sent in the troops, his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin confirmed they would leave as soon as their mission ended.

Life in Kazakhstan's Almaty appeared to be returning to normal yesterday, with internet coverage restored as the nation observed a day of mourning for dozens killed in the clashes.

Tokayev told the video-conference that "armed militants" had used the backdrop of protests to try to seize power. "The main goal was obvious...the destruction of government institutions and the seizure of power."