Kazakhstan, an ally of Moscow, refuses to authorize a parade for peace in Ukraine

Kazakhstan, Russia's ally, refused to authorize a parade against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, organizers said on Saturday.

The ban occurs when tensions rise in Kazakh society over this armed conflict that caused unprecedented Western economic sanctions against Moscow.

Kazakhstan, a former Soviet republic in Central Asia that traditionally enjoys coordinated relations with the West, seeks to maintain some distance from the Russian invasion of Ukraine and at the same time retain its friendly ties with Moscow.

In early March, the Kazakh authorities authorized a gathering of some 2,000 people in Almaty, the country's economic capital, against the war in Ukraine.

But the second such parade was not authorized by the city council, which explained its decision because another demonstration in support of Kazakh President Kassym Jomart Tokaiev was planned in the central square, the militants told AFP as to the origin of the initiative.

One of them, Alnur Iliachev, told AFP that the place was “reserved” by the president's supporters for the whole day, so that no other meeting could take place even after his departure, in the early afternoon.

“In fact, they organized the demonstration only to prevent us from holding our anti-war meeting,” he told AFP.

Public meetings are strictly controlled in Kazakhstan, where they can only be held in designated places, with the permission of the local authorities.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan repeatedly emphasized the country's neutrality in the armed conflict in Ukraine.

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