MOSCOW, January 6. /TASS/. Speaker of Russia’s Federation Council, Valentina Matvienko, in a phone conversation with her Kazakh counterpart voiced concerns over the scale of illegal actions in the country that threaten the security of neighboring states, the press service reported on Thursday.

"Speaker of Russia’s Federation Council Valentina Matvienko and Speaker of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan Maulen Ashimbayev had a phone conversation. The Federation Council Speaker expressed words of empathy and support. Regarding the riots that broke out in the Republic of Kazakhstan, Valentina Matvienko voices concerns over the scale of illegal actions of armed extremists that pose a threat not only to the integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the lives of its citizens, but also to the security of neighboring states," the statement reads.

In addition, the Speaker of Russia’s Federation Council expressed condolences to the bereaved families of law enforcement officers and wished speedy recovery to the injured.

The conversation took place on the initiative of the Russian side.