28 April marks the Day of the CSTO Joint Staff. It should be recalled that on 28 April 2003, in Dushanbe, the Collective Security Council, guided by the need to establish a military staff body responsible for implementing the military component of the Collective Security Treaty, adopted the Decision “On the Establishment of the Joint Staff of the Collective Security Treaty Organization.”
On 27 April 2026, within the framework of the International Scientific and Practical Conference “Contours of a New Architecture of Collective Security: Current Issues of Information and Analytical Partnership within the CSTO,” held at MGIMO University of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, a round table entitled “Eurasian Analytical Platform: New Approaches in a New Geopolitical Reality” took place. During the event, Head of the Information and Public Relations Department of the CSTO Secretariat Yuriy Shuvalov delivered a presentation on “The Eurasian Analytical Network: A New Cognitive Architecture of Collective Security.”
The active phase of the command and staff training with the Central Asian Region's Collective Rapid Deployment Forces, “Rubezh-2025”, has been concluded in the Kyrgyz Republic
20.09.2025
Today, the active phase of the command and staff training with the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces of the Central Asian Region (CAR CRDF) “Rubezh-2025” is concluded on the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic.
According to the legend of the trainings, a simulated enemy established control over part of the border area and captured a number of settlements. Military contingents from the CSTO member states in the Central Asian region were quickly redeployed to the hypothetical zone of invasion by illegal armed groups. The main task of the CAR CRDF group was to block and destroy the illegal armed groups, as well as to restore the situation along the state border.
During the final stage of the training, the CAR CRDF practiced the following tactical scenarios: landing tactical airborne troops and evacuating the local population from the combat zone to temporary accommodation centers, actions of forces and assets at checkpoints, comprehensive fire suppression of illegal armed groups, joint actions by special units to free a vessel in the water area, clearing populated areas and eliminating the consequences of combat operations.
Upon completion of the evacuation of the civilian population to temporary accommodation centers, units of the CAR CRDF began combat operations to block and destroy combat groups and detachments that had invaded the territory of the CSTO member state.
Missiles fired from portable anti-aircraft missile systems and fire from duty weapons destroyed unmanned combat aerial vehicles belonging to a simulated enemy, while concentrated fire from a mortar platoon inflicted damage on GAZ-66MB armored vehicles.
Su-30SM aircraft of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan carried out an air strike on groups of simulated enemy forces to provide air support to advancing company-tactical groups of the CAR CRDF tactical groups from the armed forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan.
On their advance routes, the CAR CRDF tactical groups were supported by concentrated fire from a D-30 artillery battery and barrage fire from an MSTA-B artillery battery.
The KSBAR CAR cleared the settlement of illegal armed groups. In order to free the hostages held by the militants, the “Panther” special forces unit of the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic was deployed. The assault team was dropped onto the roof of the building from a Mi-17 helicopter using rope systems.
The commander of the CRDF, having received a report about the seizure of a boat with ammunition and its crew as hostages, as well as about the mining of the coastal waters near Balykchy by a simulated enemy, organized a special operation. Special forces from the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, in cooperation with a group of ships guarding the water area of the Russian Federation Navy, were deployed to free the vessel and its crew. Underwater search and recovery of explosive objects was carried out by divers from the raid diving boat RVK-1328 Vice Admiral Temirov.
Then, units of the CAR CRDF inflicted fire damage on the simulated enemy using all types of weapons. At the same time, unmanned aerial vehicle units practiced defeating the simulated enemy in dugouts and shelters.
Upon completion of the operation, units of the armed forces and the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic advanced towards the settlements that had been attacked by the simulated enemy in order to conduct reconnaissance of the area and eliminate the consequences of the hostilities. They carried out comprehensive measures aimed at ensuring the safety of the population, restoring infrastructure and providing assistance to those affected.
The closing ceremony of the training was attended by First Deputy Minister of Defense of the Kyrgyz Republic Major General Erlis Terdikbaev, Secretary of the Security Council of the Kyrgyz Republic Lieutenant General Baktybek Bekbolotov, Chief of the Joint Staff of the Collective Security Treaty Organization Andrei Serdyukov, representatives of the armed forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Russia, the Republic of Tajikistan and invited officials.
Addressing the participants of the trainings, Colonel General Andrei Serdyukov, Chief of the CSTO Joint Staff, noted: "In the context of growing conflict potential in a number of regions directly adjacent to the CSTO's area of responsibility, the main tasks of the CAR CRDF remain readiness to repel external military aggression, counter terrorist challenges and respond promptly to threats to national and regional security.
Contingents from all CSTO member states in the Central Asian region took part in the training: the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Russia and the Republic of Tajikistan.
In order to improve the management of the Collective Forces, instructor-methodological training sessions and operational meeting were held with the CRDF Command at a qualitatively new level. Particular attention was paid to the coordination of management bodies during the preparation of combat operations.
The units and subunits that carried out practical tasks in the challenging conditions of mountainous desert terrain and in the waters of Lake Issyk-Kul demonstrated a high level of professionalism, combat training and coordinated action.
Real combat experience, primarily gained during special military operations, was taken into account at all stages of the training, and issues of air cover and the use of unmanned aerial vehicles were worked out.
I believe that the objectives of the training have been achieved.
This training was another step in the development of the CSTO Collective Forces. We can say with confidence that the CAR CRDF are ready to face modern challenges and threats, which will contribute to the effective resolution of the tasks facing the CSTO.
It is important to note that in the year of the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, preserving the memory of the immortal feat of the Soviet people, who forged a common victory on all fronts, takes on special significance, and it is very important that today we are together, in a united battle formation!
We would like to thank the leadership of the Ministry of Defense of the Kyrgyz Republic and the training command for their hard work in preparing and conducting the training, and all participants for successfully completing the training and combat tasks!
In closing, I would like to wish all personnel of the units and divisions continued success in their joint operational and combat training and an orderly return to their bases”.
The “Rubezh-2025” command and staff training was held at the “Edelweiss” training center and in the waters of Lake Issyk-Kul under the leadership of Colonel Almaz Kozhoshev, Head of the Main Directorate for Daily Activities of the Armed Forces of the Ministry of Defense of the Kyrgyz Republic. The training is aimed at practicing the preparation and conduct of combat operations by the Central Asian States' Joint Security Forces to destroy illegal armed groups that have invaded the territory of a CSTO member state.
Military contingents from the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Russia, the Republic of Tajikistan, operational groups from the Joint Staff and the CSTO Secretariat are participating in the “Rubezh-2025” training. The Russian contingent is mainly made up of servicemen from the Central Military District's 201st military base. The total number of training participants is about 1,200 people and 500 pieces of military and special equipment, including aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, and combat boats.
It should be noted that the CAR CRDF, formed in 2001 on the basis of a decision by the Collective Security Council of the CSTO, 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 counter-terrorism operations.
On 20 September, in the Kyrgyz Republic, at the “Edelweiss” training center, the final stage of the command post training with the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces of the Central Asian Region (CAR CRDF) “Rubezh-2025” was observed by military attachés from foreign countries and representatives of international organizations.
The event was attended by military attachés from the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation, the People's Republic of China, the Republic of India, the Republic of Turkey, the United States, as well as representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the OSCE.
Joint press center of the CSTO trainings
