Anatoly Sidorov: CSTO is ready to repel any threat

As part of an exercise, the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces of the CSTO Central Asian collective security region conducted a joint counter-terrorist operation at the Edelweiss training range in the Kyrgyz Republic, RIA Novosti reports with reference to the press service of the exercise Rubezh-2021.
“Participants in the exercise conducted a joint counter-terrorist operation, practiced preparation and conduct of combat operations to destroy illegal armed formations invading the territory of a simulated CSTO Member State,” RIA Novosti notes.
At the final stage, the joint forces blocked the retreat of simulated enemy groups and “purged” populated areas of simulated armed gangs. “A MRLS Grad BM-21 was used to inflict the maximum fire damage on the enemy. A Sukhoi Su-30SM unit of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan carried out a precision missile and bombing strike against a simulated group of fighters driving pickup trucks,” TASS reports.
According to Colonel General Anatoly Sidorov, the Chief of the Joint Staff of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, “The personnel demonstrated a high level of professionalism and teamwork.” Summing up the results of the exercise, the CSTO Chief of Staff recalled the situation around the CSTO Central Asian collective security region.
“Right now the entire world is concerned about how the situation in and around Afghanistan will develop. All of us know that there are member states of our organization directly bordering Afghanistan...
I think our task is to be prepared for any developments. Therefore, the theme of the exercise has been defined accordingly. Our primary focus was on combating the terrorist threat. We have not forgotten that there are problems on our borders with Afghanistan. It is unstable there. The CSTO is ready to repel any threat,” Anatoly Sidorov said.
According to TASS, the military attachés of Turkey, the Russian Federation, the USA, the Republic of Kazakhstan, India, Great Britain, Germany, France and Japan, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross mission in the Kyrgyz Republic and the head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek watched the joint counter-terrorist operation at the final stage of the exercise.
Exercise participants included military contingents and task forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan, the CSTO Joint Staff and Secretariat, formations of special forces and assets of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, National Guard, Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Border Guard Service of the State Committee on National Security of the Kyrgyz Republic. In total, more than a thousand people and 150 units of equipment were involved. In particular, tanks, armored personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles, Tiger special vehicles, artillery, including multiple rocket launchers, Sukhoi Su-30SM fighters, Sukhoi Su-25 attack aircraft, Mil Mi-8 helicopters and Orlan-10 drones were used.