Collective Security Treaty Organization’s Troops Arrive in Kyrgyzstan for Major Anti-Terror Drills

Units from the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces of the Central Asian region under the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) have begun arriving in Kyrgyzstan for a series of large-scale command and staff exercises.

The military drills will involve contingents from Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan, who will carry out coordinated operations to simulate the neutralization of illegal armed groups that have allegedly infiltrated the territory of a CSTO member state, The Caspian Post informs via Kazakh media.

The Edelweiss training ground in the Issyk-Kul region of Kyrgyzstan will host the anti-terrorism exercises. In preparation, military transport aircraft are delivering armored vehicles, specialized equipment, and weaponry to the site.

At a press briefing, Colonel General Andrei Serdyukov, Chief of the CSTO Joint Staff, stressed that the drills are pre-planned, purely defensive in nature, and not aimed at any third country. He noted that the exercises are designed to improve the operational coordination of command structures and strengthen the combat readiness of CSTO forces to respond to regional threats.

“These exercises aim to ensure collective security by enhancing the cohesion and interoperability of our member states' armed forces,” Serdyukov said.

The joint drills come amid increasing efforts to bolster multilateral defense cooperation in the region. Recently, the CSTO, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) signed a roadmap to deepen collaboration on security and strategic stability.

The ongoing exercises underscore the CSTO's commitment to regional stability and collective defense, as geopolitical tensions and transnational threats continue challenging Central Asia’s security landscape.