DISINFO: Protests in Kazakhstan are a new Western attempt to organise a colour revolution
SUMMARY
Protests in Kazakhstan are a new attempt to organise a colour revolution in the post-Soviet space. All the current Kazakh elite studied in Western universities, mostly British. Therefore, there are many influence agents in Kazakhstan. They don’t have anything to do with Russia, and they promote European integration. Generally, Kazakhstan is being played by the West according to the Ukrainian scenario.
Signs of a coup can be clearly traced in the events in Kazakhstan. First, the call to take governmental buildings, military units and security forces. Second, the presence of organisers according to long-data manuals and footprints. Third, the presence of foreigners, plus the interests of the collective West.
RESPONSE
This case mixes a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative framing popular protests contrary to the Kremlin’s interests as "Western-backed colour revolutions" with an attempt to explain the new developments in Kazakhstan.
The case seeks to lay the blame on the West for the entire unrest in Kazakhstan which is fueled by high gas prices and social discontent in the Kazakh society.
There is no evidence to back the claims, such as the presence of western organizers in the mobilisations or the character of Kazakh elites as “Western influence agents”.
This narrative is part of a developing wider public campaign to justify Russian-led foreign military deployment in Kazakhstan in the frame of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO).
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives on "colour revolutions" in our database, such as claims that the current Ukrainian regime came to power after the foreign-led “orange revolution” in 2013, that Americans developed a technology that can strip states of their sovereignty without war, that the EU and the US aim to generate a new wave of anti-government protests in Belarus, that the West uses Russian protest movements as a fifth column to destabilise Russia, or that the EU can use certain “colour revolution” elements to organise early elections in Poland.