MOSCOW, 17 Aug - RIA Novosti. The use of long-range Tu-22M3 bombers as a "long arm" will be Russia's response to the possible aggression of the Taliban against the CSTO countries, former Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Army General Yuri Baluyevsky, said in an interview with RIA Novosti.
In addition, the general noted, the armed forces of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan are quite combat-ready today.
"And with good coordination of actions and the use of a" long arm", that is, Tu-22M3 aviation, as well as our intelligence and additional reconnaissance, there will be an effective impact on the enemy, " Baluyevsky added.
The situation in Afghanistan has especially worsened in recent weeks with the Taliban offensive on major cities. On Sunday, they said they had entered Kabul and taken control of the presidential palace. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said that he left the country "to prevent a massacre." On Monday night, the official representative of the political office of the Taliban* Mohammed Naim said that the war in Afghanistan is over, and the form of government in the state will be clarified in the near future.
* A terrorist organization banned in Russia.
