On 24 April 2024, in Moscow, at the CSTO Secretariat consultations of the CSTO member states under the chairmanship of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the theme: "On topical issues of arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation" took place.
From 1 to 23 April 2024, the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation hosted the regular IX Training Courses of the CSTO member states for senior staff and leading specialists of defense departments, law enforcement agencies, security council apparatuses, security agencies and special services, as well as bodies authorized to prevent and eliminate emergency situations.
On 22 April 2024, the CSTO Secretariat hosted a working meeting between the Deputy Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, Samat Ordabaev, and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Central Asia, Head of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), Kakha Imnadze.
The final stage of the joint training "Indestructible Brotherhood-2023" with the CSTO Peacekeeping Forces took place in the Kyrgyz Republic
13.10.2023
On 13 October, the final stage of the joint training with the CSTO Peacekeeping Forces "Indestructible Brotherhood-2023" was held at the “Edelweiss” training center of the Ministry of Defense of the Kyrgyz Republic as part of the CSTO joint operational-strategic training "Combat Brotherhood-2023".
The actions of the CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces were observed by the CSTO Secretary General Imangali Tasmagambetov, Minister of Defense of the Kyrgyz Republic Lieutenant General Baktybek Bekbolotov, Minister of Defense of the Republic of Tajikistan Colonel General Sherali Mirzo, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces - First Deputy Minister of Defense of the Republic of Belarus Major General Viktor Gulevich, Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Colonel General Alexander Fomin, Major General Almaz Dzhumakeev, Commander of the Airborne Assault Troops of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Colonel General Anatoly Sidorov, Chief of the CSTO Joint Staff; representatives of the CSTO Secretariat and the CSTO Joint Staff, the armed forces of CSTO member states, the military and diplomatic corps accredited in the Kyrgyz Republic, as well as representatives of international regional organizations and others.
The main objectives of the trainings were to improve the practical skills of officials of the CSTO Peacekeeping Force's governing bodies and personnel and to enhance the coherence of military units and subunits in carrying out tasks during a peacekeeping operation in the Central Asian region of collective security.
Under the general supervision of Colonel Artur Temirov, First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic, national contingents of peacekeeping forces took part in the training, which included units of the armed forces, internal affairs agencies, police, internal troops and national guard troops, security and emergency services of the Republics of Belarus and Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Russia and the Republic of Tajikistan, and operational groups of the CSTO Joint Staff and the CSTO Secretariat. A total of about 1,500 servicemen and more than 200 units of military and special equipment, including Mi-8, Mi-17 and Mi-24 helicopters, Su-25, Su-30 and Il-76 aircraft, strike drones and combat boats, were involved in the training.
The tasks of post-conflict settlement in the crisis zone - conducting a peacekeeping operation using the forces and means of the CSTO's collective security system and providing humanitarian assistance - were practiced in high altitude conditions. Practical operations involved the Collective Peacekeeping Forces, together with units of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, carrying out combat training tasks at checkpoints and casualty reception points, escorting convoys and cargoes, liberating populated areas, rescuing "hostages" and providing humanitarian assistance.
During the joint training "Indestructible Brotherhood-2023" with the Peacekeeping Forces of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), contingents from five states practiced operations at checkpoints, tasks in a filtration center and a refugee camp, escorting convoys with humanitarian supplies, blockading a populated area, as well as releasing "hostages" from a seized sea vessel and providing assistance to victims.
The first episode of the trainings involved working out how to deal with the infiltration of militants into the territory of a state with the aim of destabilizing the internal political situation. The Border Guard Service detected a suspected bandit formation, delayed its advance and made a withdrawal under the cover of fire from an Msta-B howitzer platoon. The situation was monitored from the air by “Orlan-10” and “Zala” strike drones and Su-25 aircraft, which also carried out an air strike on the militants' positions. The company tactical groups in infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers, supported by a squad of Mi-8MTV helicopters and a strike drone "Fly", operated in combat formation.
The second episode of the trainings took place in the waters of Lake Issyk-Kul. In the course of practical operations, a group of Russian Armed Forces boats blocked a hijacked vessel. Special operations force of the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic landed on board the vessel from an Mi-8 MTV helicopter by rope, carried out an assault, neutralized the terrorists, freed and evacuated the hostages. The NBC defense unit practiced NBC reconnaissance. The diving team dived, inspected and lifted a container aboard the RVK-1328 "Vice Admiral Temirov" diving boat.
In the third episode, the peacekeeping contingents practiced cooperation in patrolling the terrain. The peacekeepers worked on the operation of roadblocks and checkpoints in accordance with the terms of the ceasefire in the conflict region, and on countering UAVs using “Needle” man-portable air defense systems and a ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft gun. The peacekeepers worked on localizing a group of protesters, releasing "hostages" from the buildings of the railway station and the airport, organizing the defense of a block post with the destruction of a “Jihad-mobile” and the enemy's manpower using APCs, ZU-23-2 and small arms, and jointly organizing and operating a casualty collection point equipped with accommodation, food and a medical station. In addition, a set of filtration measures to identify "infiltrated agents", the provision of psychological and medical assistance, the actions of an engineering team using the TALON demining complex, and the elimination of the consequences of the detonation of a cattle burial site containing anthrax spores were practiced.
A separate episode of the trainings was the delivery of humanitarian supplies by a land convoy with the repulsion of an attack by a simulated sabotage group, as well as by an aerial drop method.
The practical actions were completed by practicing the cooperation of units in clearing a populated area seized by an illegal armed group. Tactical airborne assault teams worked to prevent the withdrawal of "militants" and to localize the conflict area in the rear of the conditional enemy. Special-purpose units worked on clearing the settlement. Emergency Situations Ministry units practiced extinguishing fires and providing medical assistance.
Summing up the results of the trainings, the CSTO Secretary General Imangali Tasmagambetov thanked the Ministry of Defense of the Kyrgyz Republic for preparing and conducting this important event and the military personnel involved for their initiative, professionalism and diligence. Noting the high combat skills of all the units involved, Imangali Tasmagambetov emphasized that the level of training of the Peacekeeping Forces of the CSTO member states met the requirements that life set before us today.
In his speech during the closing ceremony, the Minister of Defense of the Kyrgyz Republic, Lieutenant General Baktybek Bekbolotov, thanking all the participants for their high military skill and professionalism, diligence and total dedication, noted that "at the annual trainings, we have the opportunity to work on topical issues related to the functioning and use of the CSTO Peacekeeping Forces. The servicemen of our countries have once again consolidated their field training and significantly improved their practical skills.
I believe that the results of the training will make an additional contribution to building a unified system of collective security and will help to ensure stability in the Organization’s area of responsibility."
The Defense Minister also noted that "The main feature of our training was the fact that in addition to coordinated actions on land, the issue of joint actions with the Test Base of the Russian Federation Navy stationed on Lake Issyk-Kul was practically worked out. For the first time, the blue surface of Issyk-Kul, the "Pearl of Central Asia", was involved in the execution of combat training tasks”.
At the end of his speech, the head of the Kyrgyz Defense Ministry wished the participants of the training a good journey and a happy return to their families and friends in their homeland, as well as further success in improving their military skills.
The joint trainings "Indestructible Brotherhood-2023" with the CSTO Peacekeeping Forces ended with the awarding of prizes to the most distinguished servicemen and a solemn march by the military contingents.
The Joint Press Centre of the CSTO training "Indestructible Brotherhood-2023", the Kyrgyz Republic, “Edelweiss” training ground
