CSTO conducts large-scale military exercises in Tajikistan

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is conducting large-scale maneuvers involving 4,000 servicemen in Tajikistan near the border with Afghanistan.

Photo: Internet

As reported by Interfax, citing the press center of the exercises, 4,000 personnel and more than 500 units of equipment will participate in the special exercises “Echelon-2021,” “Search-2021,” and joint exercises “Interaction-2021,” held in Tajikistan as part of the CSTO operational-strategic exercises “Combat Brotherhood-2021.”

It is reported that at the training grounds of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Tajikistan “Momirak” and “Kharb-Maydon,” the CSTO troop grouping will practice tasks for preparing and conducting a joint operation to localize a border armed conflict related to attempts by militants of international terrorist organizations to infiltrate the territory of a member state of the organization.

According to the source, the maneuvers will take place in Tajikistan from October 18 to 23. “Search-2021” is an intelligence exercise for CSTO countries, “Interaction-2021” involves rapid response forces, and “Echelon-2021” pertains to material and technical support units.

The maneuvers in Tajikistan are being conducted with consideration of possible negative scenarios for the situation in Afghanistan, stated Anatoly Sidorov, the head of the CSTO Joint Staff, on October 14.

“Of course, when developing the exercise plan, we had to take into account possible scenarios for the development of events at the Tajik-Afghan border. We hope that by considering the worst-case scenario during the exercise, we will not encounter it in real life,” he said.

He also reported that to transport participants to Tajikistan, aircraft made 35 flights. Military aircraft from Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia are involved. Units are also being sent to Tajikistan by their own means and by rail.

After the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, countries bordering Afghanistan have strengthened security along their borders. In August, Russia conducted two military exercises: one at the border of Uzbekistan with Afghanistan and another at the Uzbek-Tajik border.