Kazakhstan has threatened to ban from entry a pro-Kremlin Russian TV presenter who had denounced Kazakh "
ingratitude
" because of the Central Asian country's position on the war in Ukraine.
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In a press release published on Wednesday April 27, Kazakh diplomacy considered that Tigran Keossaïan's remarks “
poison the atmosphere of good neighborly relations
” between the two countries.
"
I think he will be included in the list of undesirable people in Kazakhstan
," added the press release, quoting the spokesman for Kazakh diplomacy Aïbek Smadiarov.
Husband of Margarita Simonian, the editor-in-chief of the international pro-Kremlin channel Russia Today, Tigran Keossaïan is singled out for remarks made on April 24 on his YouTube channel, where he wondered about the reaction of former countries. -USSR to the Russian invasion.
“
Kazakh brothers, what is this ingratitude?
“, he asked:”
Look carefully at Ukraine, think seriously.
»
“
If you think you can continue to be so sneaky and it will be without consequences, you are wrong.
According to Kazakh diplomacy, these statements "
play into the hands of opponents of the strategic partnership
" between Kazakhstan and Russia.
AFP could not reach the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to confirm the blacklisting of the presenter.
Neutral since the start of the invasion
In February, Margarita Simonian, the wife of Tigran Keossaïan, wondered why Moscow had "
saved
" the regime of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev by agreeing to send soldiers during the January unrest in the country.
Margarita Simonian reacted to the refusal expressed by Kazakh Foreign Minister Moukhtar Tleouberdi to recognize the independence of the separatist regions of Donetsk and Lugansk, in eastern Ukraine, which Moscow had just recognized.
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A Central Asian country with a large Russian minority, Kazakhstan had to call in troops from the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in January to quell unprecedented civil unrest.
But the country of 19 million people has remained neutral since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and announced in April that the May 9 military parade commemorating the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany, a very popular holiday, would be canceled. important for the Russian regime.
