Russia’s president has begun a three-day state trip to the Central Asian country Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Kazakhstan on Wednesday for a three-day state visit, with his plane escorted into Astana by the republic’s fighter jets. Putin was personally welcomed at the airport by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Military and youth orchestras took part in the arrival ceremony, while an honor guard representing all branches of Kazakhstan’s armed forces lined the tarmac.