Historical Journalist Releases Book Exploring January Events in Kazakhstan

ASTANA – Russian journalist and author of best selling books on modern history Leonid Mlechin presented his book titled “Tragic January: President Tokayev and Lessons Learned” on the riots that took place at the beginning of the year on Dec. 20 at the Kazakh Embassy in Russia, reported Kazinform News Agency.

Leonid Mlechin at the presentation of his book at the Kazakh Embassy in Russia. Photo credit: inform.kz.

Mlechin traveled to Almaty and spoke to the participants of the event, police officers and eyewitnesses to collect material for his book. He visited streets and buildings where incidents took place and studied documents. The book unveils some aspects of those events that were not known to the public before.

“These events took place in a country that has always been the most stable in the Central Asian region. And suddenly something unimaginable happens. What happened? I was extremely curious. What I was told in Almaty, what people experienced then, shocked me. The fate of Kazakhstan depended on one person, on the President of the country,” Mlechin said.

Book cover of “Tragic January: President Tokayev and Lessons Learned”. Photo credit: inform.kz.

The book reflects the perspective of a Russian citizen, who tries to understand the unrest from the outside. This should help people to understand the context of the riots and find out what happened.


Get The Astana Times stories sent directly to you! Sign up via the website or subscribe to our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, YouTube and Tiktok!