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.
The 12th Southern Information Security Forum “Infoforum Sochi 2026” is taking place in Sochi, Russia, from June 30 to July 3. On July 1, the Forum's plenary session brought together representatives of federal and regional authorities, regulatory bodies, leading companies, and international organizations to discuss current challenges in the protection of critical infrastructure, the development of artificial intelligence, and international cooperation.
On June 30 – July 1, 2026, Saint Petersburg hosted a series of events chaired by Alexander Kurenkov, Minister of the Russian Federation for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters, with the participation of heads of the competent authorities of the CSTO member states responsible for emergency prevention and response.
From June 24 to 26, 2026, CSTO Secretary General Talatbek Masadykov paid a working visit to the Republic of Tajikistan at the personal invitation of President Emomali Rahmon.
The issues of organizing the management and coordination of the CSTO CRRF Command were worked out during the trainings in the Republic of Belarus
On August 28, in the Republic of Belarus, at the “Losvido” training ground, instructional and methodological classes were held with the Command of the CSTO CRRF on management, formation and coordination.
These trainings are aimed at implementing one of the most important goals of the upcoming joint trainings – improving the organization of management of the CSTO Collective Forces.
Officials of the CRRF Command, the CSTO Joint Staff, representatives of defense and other law enforcement agencies were involved in the events.
During the training, officers of the CSTO Joint Staff provided information on the deployment and organization of work at the CRRF control center, including the heads of the armed forces, services and other structural units. Special attention was paid to the organization and conduct of command coordination events, as well as the organization of counteraction to enemy UAVs at control points.
The materials of the training sessions were prepared taking into account the experience of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation during a special military operation.
These events ended with a practical demonstration of the work of a visual surveillance post and a mobile fire group to counter enemy UAVs.
The Joint Press Center of the CSTO trainings
Photo by the press service of the CSTO Joint Staff