The active phase of the CSTO trainings “Interaction-2024”, “Search-2024” and “Echelon-2024” was completed in the Kyrgyz Republic

The active phase of the “Interaction-2024” command-staff training with the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Forces (CRRF) and the “Search-2024” and “Echelon-2024” special trainings was completed today on the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The coordinated actions of all components of the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Forces were demonstrated during the joint operation.

According to the training legend, the simulated enemy has established control over part of the territory in the border area, and a number of settlements have been seized. Military contingents from the CSTO member states were redeployed as soon as possible to the conditional zone of the militants' invasion. The main task of the CSTO CRRF grouping is to conduct a joint operation to resolve the armed conflict in the Central Asian region.

Reconnaissance to locate the militants' basic training areas and routes of movement was carried out using the Russian Federation Armed Forces “Supercam” unmanned aerial vehicle.

Units of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic carried out the resettlement and evacuation of the local population from the areas of hostilities to temporary detention centers.

During the training, a missile strike was carried out by an “Orion” unmanned aerial vehicle of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and air strikes on the enemy's main forces moving out by Su-30SM aircraft of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan using aerial bombs. The Russian “Supercam” strike drone carried out target engagement control.

The CRRF company-tactical groups from the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan practiced blocking and destroying conventional enemy forces on the approach to populated areas with fire support from Mi-17 Army aviation helicopters of the armed forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Mi-8 motorized rifle troop helicopters of the armed forces of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The landing of tactical airborne troops from helicopters of the army aviation of the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Russian Federation enabled the CRRF company-tactical groups to occupy a favorable position to prevent the “militants” from seizing populated areas. The tactical airborne landing included special operations groups from the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan. The paratroopers' actions were supported by artillery batteries D-30 and “MSTA-B” from the Kyrgyz Republic.

In order to prevent enemy reserves from approaching the village blockaded by the CSTO CRRF, a tactical airborne landing force consisting of a special operations group of the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic parachuted from an An-26 military transport aircraft.

The “Ilbirs” special operations group of the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic and special operations groups of the Ministries of Internal Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Belarus practiced mopping up populated areas.

Thanks to the active and coordinated actions of the CSTO CRRF units, the enemy was destroyed and the state border was restored.

As part of the active phase of the training, the CSTO CRRF practically worked out the following issues:

• conducting combat and special operations by CRRF units;

• landing of tactical air (sea) landing forces to complete the defeat of the enemy;

• covering troops from enemy air strikes;

• liquidation of consequences arising in the course of combat operations.

Particular attention during the training was paid to the use of unmanned aircraft and countering them, as well as to the joint use of electronic warfare and firearms.

A special feature of the trainings at the “Edelweiss” training range was also the use of air defense forces and means of the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic and a dedicated military personnel of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Joint Air Defense System.

The final stage and closing ceremony of the training was attended by Major General Ruslan Mukambetov, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces - First Deputy Minister of Defense of the Kyrgyz Republic; Imangali Tasmagambetov, Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization; Colonel General Andrei Serdyukov, Chief of the CSTO Joint Staff; and a delegation from the Coordination Meeting of the Chairmen of the Committees (Commissions) on Defense and Security of the Parliaments of the CSTO member states under the Council of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization; representatives of the military and diplomatic corps accredited in the Kyrgyz Republic, in particular Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Great Britain, Canada, China, France, Japan, Korea, Poland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, as well as representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the OSCE.

Major General Ruslan Mukambetov, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces - First Deputy Minister of Defense of the Kyrgyz Republic, addressing the training participants, said: “First of all, I thank all participants for their activity, diligence and full dedication shown during the preparation and conduct of the exercise.

We note that the training participants successfully worked out the use of forces and means to resolve the crisis situation, bring the contingents of the Collective Forces to the highest levels of combat readiness, establish a grouping, prepare and conduct a joint operation to resolve the armed conflict, and the servicemen of our states consolidated their field training and demonstrated high determination and will in carrying out their tasks.

Since the trainings have been held on the territories of our states, our armed forces have succeeded at a high level in strengthening the combat brotherhood between our countries and in raising the level of joint combat readiness in repelling and countering modern challenges and threats, as well as in strengthening interstate military cooperation.

Today, summarizing the results of our trainings, we can say with firm confidence that at present the CRRF, as a component of the permanent readiness of the CSTO's collective forces (troops), is proving its worth as a guarantor of the security and stability of the Central Asian States that are members of the CSTO.

In concluding my statement, I would like to assure you that the Kyrgyz Republic intends to continue to make its best contribution to strengthening the combat capabilities of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, both in the region and in the world as a whole”.

The Collective Security Treaty Organization Secretary General Imangali Tasmagambetov, speaking at the ceremony, said: “I express my gratitude to the Ministry of Defense of the Kyrgyz Republic and the leadership of the Issyk-Kul region for the quality preparation and conduct of these important events.

Today, it is not enough to use only the military component to successfully solve combat problems. Modern crises are increasingly hybrid in nature and require special approaches to resolve them.

Given the growing conflict potential in a number of regions directly adjacent to the zone of responsibility of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, our heads of state are taking the necessary measures to improve the mechanisms for ensuring collective military security and to build up the capacity to counter the full range of contemporary challenges and threats.

During the trainings, the combat experience of the armed forces of the CSTO member states was widely used and issues relating to the planning and use of the forces and means of the collective security system in preparing for and conducting a joint operation in mountainous desert terrain and the waters of Lake Issyk-Kul in cooperation with units of the Russian Navy were practically worked out.

The trainings have demonstrated the increased level of readiness of the Collective Forces of the Organization to respond to any challenges and threats to the collective and national security of our states.

The management bodies have received good practice in organizing work to develop and take decisions on the use of the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Forces in a joint operation on the territory of the Central Asian region of collective security.

Commanders and staffs demonstrated high practical skills and abilities in the management of units and subunits in carrying out their assigned tasks.

The personnel of the national contingents demonstrated a high level of cooperation and coherence, professionalism and combat training. All training and combat tasks were accomplished in full.

I express my gratitude to all the representatives of the CSTO member states who came to the training and took an active part in its preparation and conduct.

Thank you for your initiative, professionalism and diligence.

I congratulate you on the successful completion of the trainings.

I wish all the training participants a safe return to their places of permanent deployment and further success in their military work and in improving their military skills”.

Following the results of the trainings, Colonel General Andrei Serdyukov, Chief of the CSTO Joint Staff, noted in particular:

“Today, the main stage of the practical actions of the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Forces has been completed during the “Interaction” command-staff training and the special trainings “Search” and “Echelon”. We all observed the coordinated actions of the Collective Forces in blocking and destroying illegal armed formations in populated areas and in the waters of Lake Issyk-Kul, as well as eliminating the consequences of military operations with the participation of national security units and ministries of emergency situations.

First of all, I would like to thank all the participants for their high field training, for their professional skills, for the best qualities that were demonstrated in a rather difficult environment, in conditions close to combat.

Our allied relations are growing stronger, we are developing the Collective Forces, creating a reliable basis for increasing the readiness of the management bodies and the formations of the forces and means of the collective security system to carry out their earmarked tasks.

I wish to emphasize that the activities undertaken are aimed at protecting collectively the independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Organization member states, are fully consistent with international norms and are not directed against other countries.

I express my sincere words of gratitude to the leadership of the Ministry of Defence of the Kyrgyz Republic and other ministries and agencies that took part in the trainings for the high quality of the organization and conduct of all events, the warm welcome, assistance and help provided.

I congratulate all the training participants on its successful completion!

I should also remind you that in just one week our activities will continue in the Republic of Kazakhstan as part of the training “Indestructible Brotherhood” with the CSTO Peacekeeping Forces, and then in the Republic of Tajikistan as part of the training “Rubezh” with the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces of the Central Asian region.

Summing up, I would like to note that, despite the experience gained during the trainings, we should not stop at the results achieved, we should strive for further improvement and development of our Collective Forces and for strengthening the collective security of the CSTO member states”.

On the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic, under the charge of Colonel Artur Temirov, First Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic, a command-staff training with the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Forces “Interaction-2024”, a special training with intelligence forces and means “Search-2024”, and a special training with logistical forces and means “Echelon-2024” were conducted.

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 took part in the training. Among them were military contingents, formations of special-purpose forces from among the special units of the internal affairs (police), security and special services bodies, authorized bodies in the field of prevention and elimination of the consequences of emergency situations, as well as operational groups of the CSTO Joint Staff and Secretariat. In all, some 1,500 servicemen and up to 300 units of weapons, military and special equipment, including aircraft, various types of strike drones, combat boats and air defense equipment, were involved.

During the “Interaction-2024” command-staff training with the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Forces (CRRF) in the Kyrgyz Republic, promising models of weapons, military and special equipment were used, in particular the Russian reconnaissance drone systems Supercam S350 and its modernized version Supercam S350M, and the “Inokhodets” long duration reconnaissance and strike complex. On the final day of the training at the Edelweiss training range, the 2B25 silent mortar, a range of rocket-propelled grenade launchers, hand-held non-lethal grenades and the Berkut-2 special-purpose parachute system were also demonstrated.