From October 18 to 23 this year, a special exercise codenamed “Cobalt-2026” will be held in the Republic of Tajikistan.
Today, the active phase of the command-and-staff exercise with the Collective Operational Reaction Forces (CORF) of the CSTO “Interaction-2026” and the special exercises “Search-2026” and “Echelon-2026” concluded in the Russian Federation.
In the Russian Federation, at the Chebarkulsky training range, particular attention is being paid to organizing the evacuation and repair of damaged equipment under the threat of enemy UAV attacks during the special exercise with the logistics forces and assets of the CSTO Troops (Collective Forces) “Echelon-2026”.
Today, at the Chebarkulsky training range in the Russian Federation, as part of the command-and-staff exercise with the CSTO Collective Operational Reaction Forces (CORF) “Interaction-2026”, joint actions to liberate a populated area captured by a simulated adversary were practiced.
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.
