Kyrgyzstan refused to participate in CSTO exercises

Exercises of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) are taking place at the “Kharbmaydon” training ground in Tajikistan.

Photo: Internet

According to the press center of the exercises, from October 10 to 21, a joint exercise “Rubezh-2022” is being conducted on the territory of Tajikistan with the Collective Rapid Reaction Forces (CRRF) of the Central Asian region.

The total number of participants in the exercises in Tajikistan is expected to be about 1,000 people and over 300 units of military and special equipment, including aircraft, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles.

The main objectives of the exercises are to prepare for repelling external military aggression and to conduct joint counter-terrorism operations, the statement notes.

However, this time Kyrgyzstan refused to participate in these exercises. The authorities of the country explained their refusal by stating that public opinion in Kyrgyzstan would not welcome the participation of the Tajik army in CSTO exercises. Nevertheless, Kyrgyzstan emphasized that the republic has an “absolutely unbreakable” membership in the CSTO and there are no issues regarding this organization.

It was previously reported that Kyrgyzstan canceled other CSTO exercises – “Nerushimoe Bratstvo-2022,” which were supposed to take place from October 10 to 14 at the “Edelweiss” training ground in the city of Balykchy in the Issyk-Kul region of Kyrgyzstan. Russia described this step as an attempt to “slightly distance itself from Russia.”

Armenia and Kazakhstan had previously refused to participate in CSTO military exercises.