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.
The 18th anniversary of the CSTO Joint Staff creation
28.04.2021
18 years ago, on April 28, 2003, the heads of the Collective Security Treaty Organization member states, inspired by the need to create a military staff body responsible for implementing the objectives of the military component of the Collective Security Treaty, decided to create a standing body - the CSTO Joint Staff.
The Joint Staff is tasked with forming, operating and using troops (Collective Forces), preparing and conducting joint operational and combat training activities together with the defense departments of member states, military and technical cooperation, coordinating joint training of personnel and specialists for the armed forces of member states, and organizing the functioning of the CSTO Crisis Response Center.
Speaking about the 18th anniversary, Colonel General Anatoly Sidorov, Chief of the CSTO Joint Staff, noted that the authority won by the multinational team of the CSTO Joint Staff throughout its existence allowed us at present to take an active part in building the military component of the CSTO collective security system, in ensuring a peaceful future, the integrity and stable development of our states.
The 18th anniversary of the CSTO Joint Staff creation (en.odkb-csto.org)
