From October 18 to 23 this year, in accordance with the 2026 Plan for the Joint Training of Command and Control Bodies and Formations of Forces and Assets of the Collective Security System of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the “Cobalt-2026” special exercise was held at the Magob training range of the Special Purpose Units Training Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan.
An international scientific and practical conference entitled “Greater Eurasia: Institutions, Development, Cooperation” was held at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, jointly organized with the Institute of China and Contemporary Asia of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ICCA RAS). CSTO Secretary General Talatbek Masadykov took part in the conference.
A working meeting between CSTO Secretary General Talatbek Masadykov and Kazem Jalali, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Russian Federation, was held at the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Russian Federation.
An international scientific and practical conference entitled “Transformation of the Global Security System and the Shaping of a Eurasian Security Framework” was held at Moscow State Linguistic University (MSLU).
Today, a conference entitled “The Role and Place of Media in CSTO Member States in Efforts to Contain Crisis (Emergency) Situations in Collective Security Regions” was held in Minsk.
CSTO member states strengthen cooperation in combating drug trafficking
27.08.2026
A meeting of the Working Group of the Coordination Council of Heads of Competent Authorities on Combating Illicit Drug Trafficking (CCHN) on organizing international anti-drug operations within the CSTO framework was held in Aktau, Republic of Kazakhstan.
The meeting was attended by CSTO Secretariat Adviser and Deputy Secretary of the CCHN of the CSTO member states Mikhail Melikhov, representatives of the competent authorities of the CSTO member states, as well as representatives of the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre (CARICC), the Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism, the Committee of Heads of Law Enforcement Units of the Council of Heads of Customs Services of the CIS member states, and other partner structures.
Particular attention was paid to preparations for the regional anti-drug operation “Channel – Caspian Lighthouse”, with its active phase scheduled for October 2026. The participants discussed the operational situation, drug trafficking routes, joint activities, information exchange, and efforts to counter the legalization of drug proceeds.
The delegations agreed that under the current circumstances, operational information exchange, coordinated action by law enforcement agencies, and joint special anti-drug operations are of particular importance. This format makes it possible to identify transnational criminal links in a timely manner, establish the organizers of drug trafficking networks, and disrupt drug supplies at various stages.
The international “Channel” operation is aimed precisely at strengthening such cooperation. It brings together the efforts of the competent authorities of the CSTO member states to counter international drug trafficking, dismantle clandestine laboratories, disrupt supply channels, combat the distribution of drugs via the Internet, and undermine the financial infrastructure of the illicit drug market.
