From July 7 to 9, second staff talks were held in the Russian Federation on the organization and conduct of the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Forces (CRRF) command-and-staff exercise “Interaction-2026”, the special reconnaissance exercise “Poisk-2026”, and the logistics support exercise “Echelon-2026”.
In accordance with the 2026 Action Plan of the Coordinating Council of Heads of the Competent Authorities for Countering Illicit Drug Trafficking of the CSTO Member States, and as part of the Russian Federation's priorities during its 2026 CSTO Chairmanship, the sub-regional counter-narcotics operation “Kanal – Amber Coast” was conducted from June 29 to July 3, 2026. The operation was aimed at disrupting trafficking routes for narcotic drugs, their precursors and analogues, new psychoactive substances, and potent substances into the CSTO area of responsibility, neutralizing international transnational drug trafficking groups, dismantling clandestine drug production facilities, undermining the economic foundations of the drug trade, including the laundering of drug proceeds.
The 12th Southern Information Security Forum “Infoforum Sochi 2026” is taking place in Sochi, Russia, from June 30 to July 3. On July 1, the Forum's plenary session brought together representatives of federal and regional authorities, regulatory bodies, leading companies, and international organizations to discuss current challenges in the protection of critical infrastructure, the development of artificial intelligence, and international cooperation.
On June 30 – July 1, 2026, Saint Petersburg hosted a series of events chaired by Alexander Kurenkov, Minister of the Russian Federation for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters, with the participation of heads of the competent authorities of the CSTO member states responsible for emergency prevention and response.
From June 24 to 26, 2026, CSTO Secretary General Talatbek Masadykov paid a working visit to the Republic of Tajikistan at the personal invitation of President Emomali Rahmon.
Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Jean-Pierre Lacroix discussed with the Deputy Secretary-General of the CSTO, Valery Semerikov, the creation of a constant-readiness police force as part of the CSTO peacekeeping forces
12.12.2017
On December 12, 2017, the CSTO Secretariat held a meeting of the Deputy Secretary General of the CSTO, Valery Semerikov, with the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Director of the Department of UN Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix.
Relying on the positive experience of joint work, the interlocutors focused on consideration of issues related to the prospect of using the peacekeeping resources available to the CSTO today in various UN missions: on the implementation of the Road Map developed for these purposes, on the creation of a permanent contingent of the CSTO peacekeeping forces as well as on the participation of UN representatives in the annual CSTO peacekeeping exercises “The Indestructible Brotherhood”.
Valery Semerikov stressed that the CSTO has always advocated and stands for strengthening the leading, central role of the UN in international affairs, for enhancing its role in conflict resolution, including international peacemaking.
Therefore, building up cooperation with the UN on peacekeeping issues is one of the key targets of the CSTO for the long term, enshrined in the Strategy of our Organization, which was endorsed by the presidents of the CSTO member states last year.
In turn, Jean-Pierre Lacroix stressed that, in his position as UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping, he would do everything possible to bring the relationship between the UN and the CSTO to a new qualitative level, ensuring the continuity of the partnership established in recent years between the CSTO Secretariat and the Department of Operations UN peacekeeping.
Valery Semerikov invited Mr. LC. Lacroix to take part in the next exercise with the CSTO Peacekeeping Forces "Indestructible Brotherhood - 2018", which is planned to be held next year in the territory of the Russian Federation. The invitation was gratefully accepted.
The meeting was held in an atmosphere of underlined mutual understanding and readiness for further cooperation.
