Russia's Ally Claims It Thwarted Coup

Kyrgyzstan, one of Russia's Central Asian allies, has reportedly thwarted an attempted coup.

Kyrgyzstan's State Committee for National Security, which is responsible for counter terrorism and tackling organized crime in the country, said that its special forces had blocked an attempt to seize power.

The reports of the attempted coup came via RIA Novosti, a state-owned media channel in Russia, which has close ties to Kyrgyzstan.

"Kyrgyzstan's special services prevented an attempt to violently seize power in the country, the State Committee for National Security reported," the post read.

"The illegal activities of a destructive group that had plans to forcibly seize power and destabilize the socio-political situation in the country through mass riots that could potentially harm innocent citizens were suppressed," a national security ministry statement sourced by Kyrgyz news agency 24.KG said. "Five citizens were detained and placed in the temporary detention center of the SCNS."

Large quantities of firearms, improvised explosive device components, ammunition, bulletproof vests were allegedly uncovered by law enforcement.

Newsweek has contacted the Kyrgyzstan embassy in the U.K. for further information on the attempted coup.

In January, the SCNS claimed to have quashed another uprising, leading to the arrest of several associates of Imamidin Tashov, a former presidential candidate.

In early June, the SCNS reported that it had thwarted a similar plot to seize power through mass protests, though it did not reveal further details about the alleged culprits.

"The illegal activities of a group of persons who conducted clandestine preparations for holding mass protests and large-scale riots on the territory of the country with the subsequent violent seizure of power were identified and suppressed," the SNCS said at the time.

According to Freedom House's 2024 report, mass arbitrary arrests by the country's authorities are commonplace in Kyrgyzstan.

The former Soviet republic also witnessed a series of riots and instances of mob violence in May, with foreign students from Pakistan attacked by ethnic Kyrgyz citizens in the nation's capital of Bishkek.

Four deaths and 29 injuries were reported as a result of the riots, forcing the Pakistani government to evacuate over 3,000 students from the country.

Kyrgyzstan remains a close ally of Russia, given their Soviet Union ties.

In February, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with his Kyrgyz counterpart Sadyr Japarov in Kazan, Tatarstan, to discuss the development of their bilateral relations.

The country has also acted as a through route for Chinese-manufactured goods, such as ball bearings or vehicle components, to make their way into the hands of the Russian military.

Several Kyrgyz companies have also been sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Treasury for violating sanctions against Russia.

The relationship has seemingly been strained, however, by the protracted conflict in Ukraine.

In June, a regional court in southern Kyrgyzstan sentenced a Kyrgyz man to five years in prison for joining the Russian forces fighting in Ukraine.

In January, a Bishkek court handed out a seven-year sentence to another man for the same crime.

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