President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said the protesters' actions had been thoroughly planned, Report informs, citing RIA Novosti.
In a message to the nation over the situation in the country, the head of state said the protesters' actions were 'financially motivated.'
On January 2, crowds took to the streets in Zhanaozen and Aktau in the Mangistau region, protesting against high fuel prices. Two days later, the protests engulfed Almaty, where the police used flashbangs to disperse the crowd, and other cities, including Atyrau, Aktobe, Uralsk, Taraz Shymkent, Kyzylorda, Karaganda, and even Kazakhstan's capital Nur-Sultan. The president imposed a two-week state of emergency and a curfew in the country's largest city of Almaty and the southwestern Mangistau Province early on Wednesday. The head of the state also accepted the government's resignation. Its members will continue to perform their tasks until a new cabinet is formed.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev ordered the creation of a commission to study the situation. On January 4, he announced his readiness to fulfill the main demand of the protesters and reduce gas prices. However, the protests spread to other cities. On January 4 evening, the protesters in Almaty clashed with security officials, who used gas and stun grenades.