Russian troops return from Kazakhstan

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s defense ministry says the troops that were deployed to Kazakhstan as violent demonstrations shook the country have returned home. They were part of a force sent as peacekeepers by the Collective Treaty Security Organization, a Russia-led alliance of six former Soviet states. The CSTO approved the force of more than 2,000 troops on Jan. 5 at the request of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The Russian Defense Ministry said Saturday that all of its planes carrying troops had returned. It was not clear whether troops from other CSTO countries remain in Kazakhstan.