Moscow-led security bloc to host Rubezh-2021 military exercises in Kyrgyzstan

MOSCOW, August 26. / TASS /. The Collective Forces of Rapid Deployment of the Central Asian region of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) ‘Rubezh-2021’ will hold joint exercises in Kyrgyzstan in September, the CSTO Joint Headquarters said on Thursday. "From September 7 to 9, joint exercises with the Collective Forces of Rapid Deployment of the Central Asian region of the CSTO ‘Rubezh-2021’ will take place in Kyrgyzstan at the Edelweiss training ground," the press service announced. The exercises will focus on "the preparation and conduct of hostilities by the Central Asian region’s Collective Forces of Rapid Deployment in order to destroy illegal armed groups that invade CSTO member state’s territory," the joint headquarters stated. The war games will be attended by military contingents and operational groups from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, the Joint Staff and the CSTO Secretariat, the formation of the internal affairs bodies (police)’ special forces and means, structures authorized for emergency prevention as well as Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security. The Central Asian region’s Collective Rapid Deployment Forces are designed to guarantee CSTO member states’ military security, which includes participating in repelling external military aggression and conducting joint counter-terrorism operations. A grouping of collective forces, depending on the threat, can have various structures, composition and reinforcement means, including aviation. The size of the force totals roughly 5,000 people. Read more