The CSTO trainings “Interaction-2025”, “Search-2025” and “Echelon-2025” have been launched in the Republic of Belarus

The opening ceremony of the joint trainings with the Collective Rapid Reaction Forces of the Collective Security Treaty Organization "Interaction-2025", special trainings "Search-2025" and "Echelon-2025" took place in the Republic of Belarus today. The solemn event took place on Vitebsk's Victory Square and at the memorial complex "To the Liberators of Vitebsk – Soviet soldiers, partisans and underground fighters."

The ceremony was attended by the Chief of the General Staff, First Deputy Minister of Defense of the Republic of Belarus, Major General Pavel Muraveyko, Chief of the CSTO Joint Staff, Hero of the Russian Federation, Colonel General Andrei Serdyukov, Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee Alexander Subbotin, head of the “Interaction–2025” training, Commander of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, Major General Vadim Denisenko, Head of the “Echelon-2025” training, First Deputy Chief of the Rear of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus – Major General Alexander Mosolov, Chief of the Rear Staff, heads of military contingents and other invited guests.

The Chief of the General Staff – First Deputy Minister of Defense of the Republic of Belarus, Major General Pavel Muraveyko, speaking at the ceremony, noted: "Today, the Collective Security Treaty Organization is perhaps the only military-political structure that protects the interests of its member states in the post-Soviet space.

It is significant that the trainings are taking place here, on the long-suffering and heroic Vitebsk land. It is on Victory Square, in the heart of the city of Vitebsk, near the monument to the liberators of Soviet soldiers, partisans and underground fighters. In those dashing years of war, our grandfathers and great-grandfathers defended freedom and peace. They knew what they were dying for and what they were dying for. Here, on Belarusian soil, representatives of all nationalities and all peoples stood shoulder to shoulder in one formation.

Today, the military-political situation in the world is such that it cannot be called calm, and we need to keep our powder dry in these conditions. That is why we pay great attention to the training of management bodies and headquarters, troops, and the collective security system.

Today, the heirs of the victorious generation are standing in this formation, and I am sure that all of them will honorably fulfill their duty to protect their countries and ensure security in the area of responsibility of the Collective Security Treaty Organization. Welcome to the fertile Belarusian land in the warm and sunny city of Vitebsk. I wish all participants of the trainings victories and success in fulfilling their tasks and new achievements in strengthening peace and security of their countries."

Addressing the participants of the trainings, the chief of the CSTO Joint Staff, Hero of the Russian Federation, Colonel-General Andrei Serdyukov, said: "It is very symbolic that in the year of the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War on the Belarusian land, which took the first blow of the fascist invaders, the descendants of the Winners of Nazism stand shoulder to shoulder in a single combat formation!".

He noted that the current military-political situation in the Eastern European region of collective security was characterized as the most tense in the Organization's area of responsibility. Taking into account the dynamics of the situation, the most important priority in the Organization's activities is the high-quality implementation of joint training events.

"Today, on the territory of the Republic of Belarus, we are launching the joint CSTO trainings "Interaction", "Search" and "Echelon". Their main goal is to work out combat training tasks by the Collective Rapid Reaction Forces to ensure the deployment of a regional group of troops. The plans of the CSTO trainings are closely linked to the joint strategic training of the armed forces of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation “West-2025," Colonel General Andrei Serdyukov said.

The Chief of the CSTO Joint Staff also noted that "we pay special attention to the practical elaboration of issues related to the organization of the management and coordination of the Command of the CRRF, the experience of a special military operation, as well as the use of strike drones and electronic warfare. During the trainiings, the capabilities of modern weapons, military and special equipment developed by leading enterprises of the CSTO countries' defense industry complexes will be demonstrated."

Addressing the participants of the trainings, Colonel-General Andrei Serdyukov recalled the legendary quote of Generalissimo Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov, "It's hard in training, it's easy in the campaign, it's easy in training, it's hard in the campaign." He emphasized that this principle is still relevant today through the centuries. "We simply have to take into account the experience of modern armed conflicts. Constantly analyze, study, master and implement changing forms and methods of warfare during operational and combat training. Use the best and most effective on the battlefield," Andrey Serdyukov said.

"I am confident that the trainings will serve to further improve and increase the readiness of the Collective Forces to carry out their earmarked tasks, and will demonstrate the Organization's determination and the readiness of the military component to ensure collective security," the Chief of the CSTO Joint Staff said.

A joint training with the Collective Rapid Reaction Forces of the CSTO "Interaction-2025", aimed at working out the issues of preparing and conducting a joint operation to participate in resolving a crisis situation on the territory of a CSTO member state, a special training with forces and means of reconnaissance "Search-2025", a special training with forces and means logistics support “Echelon-2025” are being conducted on the territory of the Republic of Belarus.

Contingents of the CSTO Troops (Collective Forces) of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan are taking part in the trainings. Among them are military contingents, special forces formations from among the special units of the internal affairs bodies (police), security agencies and special services, authorized bodies in the field of emergency prevention and response, as well as operational groups of the Joint Staff and the CSTO Secretariat. In total, more than 2,000 military personnel and 450 units of weapons, military and special equipment are involved, including 9 combat aircraft and helicopters, over 70 different types of UAVs.

On the same day, a delegation of military personnel from the CSTO member states and the Organization's working bodies laid flowers at the monument to "Paratroopers of All Generations." The ceremony was also attended by veterans of the airborne troops and special operations forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, servicemen of the 103rd Vitebsk Separate Guards Airborne Brigade, and pupils of the military-patriotic club "Guardia".

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Joint Press Center of the CSTO trainings