Putin, Tokayev discussed situation in Kazakhstan

Russian President Vladimir Putin has discussed the situation in Kazakhstan in several phone calls with his Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Russian news agencies cited the Kremlin as saying on Friday.

Putin also spoke to leaders of other countries in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) military alliance on Thursday and Friday, agencies quoted Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov as saying.

Security forces appeared to have reclaimed the streets of Kazakhstan's main city on Friday after days of violence, and the Russian-backed president said he had ordered his troops to shoot-to-kill to put down a countrywide uprising.

(Reuters)