CSTO exercises in Kazakhstan will practice localizing a cross-border conflict in Central Asia

From September 26 to October 8, Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) will hold Collective Rapid Reaction Force (CRRF) exercises in the Zhambyl and Almaty regions (south and south-east of Kazakhstan): Vzaimodeistvie 2022, Poisk 2022 and Echelon 2022.
According to the press service of the CSTO Joint Staff, the command-and-staff CSTO СRRF exercise Vzaimodeistvie 2022 aims to practice preparing for and conducting a joint operation to localize an armed conflict in the Central Asian region of collective security. A new subdivision of the Collective Force – a joint formation of the NBCP and CSTO medical support – will participate in the exercise for the first time.
Special exercise Poisk 2022 will practice organization and conduct of reconnaissance by the intelligence agencies’ forces and assets of the CSTO Member States acting in the interests of the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Force.
Special exercise Echelon 2022 aims to practice the organization of logistical support.
The Republic of Armenia will not send its military contingent to participate in the CSTO CRRF exercise.
The official press release of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Armenia reads, “Taking into account the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border as a result of the aggression carried out by Azerbaijan and considering the tasks set for the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia, the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Armenia has decided to withhold the Armenian Armed Forces units from the participation in the exercises held in Kazakhstan within the framework of the CSTO.”