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.
Participants in the CSTO “Rubezh-2025” training are heading to the Kyrgyz Republic
11.09.2025
Participants in the “Rubezh-2025” command and staff training with units of the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces of the Central Asian Region (CAR CRDF) are redeploying to the Kyrgyz Republic.
Contingents of the CSTO Troops (Collective Forces) are being sent from the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation, and the Republic of Tajikistan to the areas where the trainings are to be held, in accordance with the plan.
The “Edelweiss” training center and the waters of Lake Issyk-Kul will host the “Rubezh-2025” command and staff training, aimed at practicing the preparation and conduct of combat operations by the CAR CRDF to destroy illegal armed groups that have invaded the territory of a CSTO member state.
Speaking at a briefing prior to the joint trainings, Colonel General Andrei Serdyukov, Chief of the CSTO Joint Staff, emphasized that the trainings conducted within the CSTO format were routine, were not directed against third countries, and were aimed at improving the coordination of command and control bodies and troops, as well as maintaining the readiness of forces and assets to perform their earmarked tasks in the interests of ensuring collective security.
It should be noted that the CAR CRDF, formed in 2001 on the basis of a decision by the CSTO Collective Security Council, includes units and subunits of the armed forces on permanent alert, equipped with modern weapons systems and military equipment. The main tasks of the CAR CRDF are to participate in repelling external military aggression and conducting joint counterterrorism operations.
