On July 15, 2026, the High-Level Regional Meeting “Enhancing Capacities to Prevent the Supply of Weapons to Terrorists in Central Asia” was held in Moscow, organized by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism with the participation of the Russian side.
On July 14, 2026, a working meeting was held at the CSTO Secretariat between CSTO Deputy Secretary General Valery Semerikov and UN Assistant Secretary-General Alexander Zuev.
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.
Details of the CSTO exercises “Interaction-2026”, “Poisk-2026” and “Echelon-2026” discussed in the Russian Federation
09.07.2026
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”.
The staff talks were attended by representatives of the relevant ministries and agencies of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan, as well as the CSTO Joint Staff and Secretariat.
During the talks, the participants refined and approved the exercise concepts, aligned with the objectives of the Russian Armed Forces strategic command-and-staff exercise “Center-2026”. They also agreed on command and control arrangements, the composition of participating headquarters and national contingents, the sequence of practical training activities, and issues related to comprehensive logistical support.
A reconnaissance of the exercise areas at the Chebarkul training ground, where the exercises are scheduled to take place in September and October this year, was also conducted.
The CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Forces are intended to provide a rapid response to security challenges and threats facing the CSTO member states. The CRRF include mobile formations and permanently ready military units of the armed forces of the CSTO member states, fully staffed and equipped with modern, interoperable weapons and military (special) equipment. They also include special operations units from the internal affairs (police) bodies, security agencies and special services, as well as units of the competent authorities responsible for emergency prevention and response.
Photo: Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation.
