Protests over a sudden fuel price hike by the Kazakhstan government has spiralled out and became a nation-wide movement against the ruling dispensation. The country’s commercial capital Almaty saw violent scenes of protesters storming the mayor’s office and security forces firing at protesters to dispel demonstrators. The Almaty airport too saw scenes of protest between demonstrators and security forces. Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has appealed to CSTO governments to send forces to “stabilise” Kazakhstan.