CSTO forces’ exercise begins in Tajikistan

The opening ceremony of specialized exercises Echelon 2021, Poisk 2021 and joint exercise Vzaimodeistvie 2021 within the framework of the joint operational and strategic CSTO exercise Combat Brotherhood 2021 took place today at Kharb-Maidon and Momirak, high-altitude mountain training grounds of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Tajikistan.
According to BelTA, Lieutenant General Emomali Sobirzoda, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Tajikistan, welcomed the exercise participants and noted that the situation in the Central Asian region remains complicated and tends to escalate against the background of the events in Afghanistan. “Readiness of collective security forces and assets to carry out designated tasks becomes more important and urgent,” he said.
In his turn, Lieutenant General Yevgeny Poplavsky, deputy commander of the troops of the Central Military District of the Russian Defence Ministry, stated that the exercises are designed to increase interoperability of military contingents of the CSTO Member States and wished the participants successful fulfilment of their training and combat tasks.
In turn, Colonel General Anatoly Sidorov, Chief of the CSTO Joint Staff, said, “We pay special attention to the Central Asian region. The main source of instability is the situation in and around Afghanistan. That is why for the first time we conduct three simultaneous exercises as part of our joint training.”
A group of CSTO Troops (Collective Forces) has begun practicing preparation and conduct of a joint operation to localize an armed conflict along the border related to attempts to infiltrate the territory of a CSTO Member State by militants of international terrorist organizations.
“Four thousand people and over 500 units of equipment participate in specialized exercises Echelon 2021, Poisk 2021 and joint exercise Vzaimodeistvie 2021 held in Tajikistan within the framework of operational and strategic CSTO exercise Combat Brotherhood 2021. At the Momirak and Kharb-Maidon training grounds, a group of CSTO collective forces will practice containment of an armed conflict related to international terrorist organizations’ attempts to enter the territory of a CSTO Member State,” said the CSTO Joint Staff spokesman Vladislav Schegrikovich.
In the course of a specialized exercise Echelon 2021, forces and assets of logistical support of the CSTO Troops (Collective Forces) will practice organization of logistical support during preparation and conduct of a joint operation. The goal of the specialized exercise with the intelligence forces and assets Poisk 2021 is to practice organization and conduct of intelligence work in the interests of preparation and conduct of a joint operation.
Participants in the joint exercise with the CSTO Collective Rapid Deployment Force Vzaimodeistvie 2021, including airborne assault, motorized rifle and artillery units and spec ops teams, will practice preparation and conduct of a joint operation to contain an armed border conflict.
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