Kazakh leader Tokayev thanks Vladimir Putin for help during January unrest

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev thanked his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Thursday for helping to prevent a coup in the Central Asian nation last month, which both leaders blamed on international "bandits" and "terrorists".

Putin said Kazakhstan, Moscow's close ally, was now firmly standing on its feet and expressed hope the two countries would continue their cooperation.

A Russia-led security bloc sent troops to Kazakhstan last month amid the worst unrest in the former Soviet republic's post-Soviet history.