Almaty

"Shoot at the protesters''. Kazakhstan: violence and riots in a brutalist architecture urban landscape

Almaty is the largest city of Kazakhstan, the dominant nation of Central Asia both economically and politically, as well as the main Russian
ally of the region. Soviet influence is clearly visible. The city is marked by brutalist architecture made of gigantic all concrete buildings.

Symbols of a totalitarian past are the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, the State Academic Russian Theater, the Palace of Wedding and the State tv and radio facility.
Kazakhstan is plunging into darkness. Rotten Trips, reporters of global decadence, does not recommend you to visit the country at the
moment. Almaty is the epicenter of a mass protest that has degenerated into open conflict with authorities.

“Shoot at the protesters”. That is the order given on the 6th of january by Kazakhstan president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The country is on the brink of a civil war.
Protests have erupted in Almaty on the 2nd of january over skyrocketing fuel price rise. At least 200 demonstrators and dozens of police officers have been killed. Thousands have been arrested and severe rioting and looting has been reported. As the  violence spreads across the country, Moscow shows the World who’s the real boss in the former Ussr Republic and in the whole region. Russian paratroopers have taken control of the Almaty airport and are backing the state reaction.

Photos by Stefano Perego.