Andrei Kartapolov: The CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces’ operation served as a decisive factor in the rapid stabilization of the situation in Kazakhstan

“The operation in Kazakhstan has shown that Russia, together with its CSTO allies, is able to mobilize necessary resources in the shortest time possible and ensure their concentration in the crisis area on the territory of one of the CSTO States,” said Andrei Kartapolov, member of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly Standing Commission on Defence and Security and Chairman of the Russian State Duma Committee on Defence.
Andrei Kartapolov stressed that Russian armed forces demonstrated high combat readiness, coordination and ability to deliver the necessary number of personnel, weapons and equipment over long distances within a limited time and to fulfill combat missions.
In addition, Russian military transport aircraft also provided transportation for the peacekeeping contingents of other CSTO Member States.
“The CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces’ operation in the Republic of Kazakhstan served as a decisive factor in the rapid stabilization of the situation in Kazakhstan, allowed to free up the necessary reserves of Kazakhstan’s law enforcement agencies for counterterrorist operations and, let me emphasize, naturally, Russia played the leading role in this operation,” stressed the Chairman of the Committee on Defence of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.
According to Andrei Kartapolov, the CSTO peacekeeping operation in Kazakhstan confirmed the readiness and ability of the CSTO Member States’ military contingents to effectively defend the sovereignty and ensure the constitutional order in their territories.
“It was certainly facilitated by the exercises that were held last year in Kazan with the participation of peacekeeping forces, and on the territory of Tajikistan with the participation of the CSTO Rapid Response Forces. This unique experience of conducting exercises will certainly be used in the future in the system of combat and operational training of the CSTO Member States’ armed forces, primarily, of course, of the Rapid Response Forces. In addition, let me stress another very important point: in the course of combat and operational training of the CSTO Member States’ armed forces, the parliamentarians of these states work very closely with the national armed forces, constantly take part in combat and operational training events and in exercises of different levels, which contributes to openness and lets the people of our countries and the world community know what the armed forces of the CSTO Member States do, what is their purpose, that they do not threaten anybody but only defend their national interests.
We will certainly continue this practice this year and next year together with our colleagues, parliamentarians from other CSTO Member States,” said Andrei Kartapolov.