TSAMTO, February 15. The CSTO Crisis Response Center in Moscow hosted a briefing by the Chief of the CSTO Joint Staff, Colonel-General Anatoly Sidorov.
The topic of the report: "The results of joint training of management bodies and formations of forces and means of the CSTO collective security system for 2022 and tasks for 2023."
During the event, the head of the CSTO Joint Staff assessed the military-political situation in the area of responsibility of the Organization, told about the main results of the activities of the Troops (Collective Forces) The CSTO in 2022 and a set of measures planned as part of joint operational and combat training in 2023.
Representatives of the press services of the defense departments and accredited mass media of the CSTO member states (Yerevan, Minsk, Astana, Bishkek and Dushanbe) took part in the event via videoconference.
The main theses of A. Sidorov's speech are given below in the presentation of the Department of Information and Mass Communications of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
Speaking about the results of the joint training of the management bodies and formations of the forces and means of the CSTO collective security system in 2022, it should be noted that in January 2022, for the first time in 30 years since the signing of the Collective Security Treaty, the Collective Forces of the CSTO were involved in connection with the emergence of a threat to the security, stability and sovereignty of the country on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan, caused, among other things, by outside interference.
In accordance with the official appeal (January 5) of the President of Kazakhstan to the leaders of the CSTO member states with a request for assistance, taking into account the trend of rapid negative development of the situation, the heads of state decided as soon as possible to send peacekeeping contingents of the CSTO member states to the Republic of Kazakhstan.
With the decisive role of the potential of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the transfer of forces and means of the CSTO forces from all regions of collective security to Kazakhstan was carried out in the shortest possible time. They included units of the armed forces of Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. The aerospace Forces of the Russian Federation performed hundreds of flights in a short time, transferring units and equipment by air.
The main tasks of the Collective Forces of the CSTO were the protection of important state and military facilities, assistance to the law enforcement forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan in stabilizing the situation and returning it to the legal field.
The Heads of state in the statement of the CSTO Collective Security Council on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Collective Security Treaty and the 20th anniversary of the Organization (May 16, 2022) noted that the CSTO peacekeeping operation in Kazakhstan conducted in January 2022 confirmed the readiness of Collective Forces to effectively solve the tasks of ensuring the security of member states and demonstrated to the international community the capacity Organizations are ready for the operational deployment and completion of the mission, thereby demonstrating the high status of the CSTO in the system of international and regional organizations.
When implementing priorities in the construction and development of the military component of the Organization in 2022, special attention was paid to the joint training of management bodies and formations of forces and means of the collective security system to perform tasks for their intended purpose.
Joint training activities in 2022 were carried out in accordance with the plan approved by the decisions of the Organization's bodies in order to maintain the readiness of Troops (Collective Forces) The CSTO is ready to fulfill the tasks of ensuring collective security.
The main efforts were focused on further development of the CSTO crisis response system, improvement of the management system and comprehensive provision of forces and means of the CSTO collective security system, increasing the readiness and interoperability of forces and means of the CSTO collective security system.
In the interests of effective implementation of joint operational and combat training activities, a military-political training environment was developed, which was based on possible scenarios for the development of events in the CSTO area of responsibility, taking into account modern challenges and threats.
During the strategic command and staff training of the Joint Staff, the CSTO Secretariat and operational groups of interested ministries and departments of the CSTO member states, the main efforts were focused on improving the crisis response mechanism and coherence in the work of officials of the Joint Staff and the CSTO Secretariat, developing draft documents on the formation, deployment and application of the CSTO CSR in the Central Asian region collective security, clarifying the algorithm of work of the CSTO Central Committee on the preparation of proposals to the CSTO bodies for making decisions on the prevention (settlement) of a crisis situation, repelling an armed attack (aggression).
The result of the joint work of the functional groups of the Central Committee and the operational groups of the CSTO member states was the development of draft documents of the CSTO Security Council, the CFM, the CFR and the CSTO Security Council on the deployment and use of Troops (Collective Forces) to resolve the crisis situation in the Central Asian region of collective Security.
In 2022, a new approach to the preparation and conduct of exercises in the CSTO format was introduced. Each exercise begins with a joint staff training of the Joint Staff, the CSTO Secretariat and operational groups of interested ministries and departments of the CSTO member states to develop draft solutions for the formation and deployment of forces and means of the collective security system in the crisis region of collective security. Then, on the basis of the Crisis Response Center, an enhanced duty shift of the CSTO Central Committee is deployed and the regrouping and deployment of military contingents in the areas of the exercises is monitored. The next stage is the active phase of the exercise, which ends with the implementation of combat training tasks by practical actions of Troops (Collective Forces). The exercise continues until all troops return to their permanent locations.
In September-October 2022, four exercises were held in the CSTO format.
Three exercises were held on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
During the command and staff exercise with the CSTO CSR "Interaction-2022", the issues of organizing a joint operation to localize the armed conflict, preparing CSTO CSR units to perform tasks, conducting a joint operation to destroy the enemy and restore the situation along the State Border were worked out.
Representatives of the Anti-Terrorist Center of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the military-diplomatic corps accredited in the Republic of Kazakhstan were present as observers at the active phase of the exercise.
The educational environment was modeled taking into account the experience of modern armed conflicts. The build-up of the situation made it possible to bring it as close as possible to real actions.
The work of the commander of the CSTO CSR and the headquarters on planning a joint operation was highly appreciated by the head of the exercise.
At the final stage of the exercise, the troops (forces) worked out practical actions with the implementation of measures to destroy the enemy's bypassing detachment, conduct aerial reconnaissance, inflict fire damage to the enemy with the combination of various means of reconnaissance and destruction, repel enemy air attack attacks, conduct maneuverable combat operations, hold the main defensive line, destroy the enemy wedged in, complete the defeat of the grouping enemy troops with the landing of tactical air landings.
With the participation of representatives of basic research organizations and CSTO member states, a research work (approbation) on the organization was carried out:
- air cover of the national contingents of the CSTO CSR at the stages of their operational deployment and application, as well as the interaction of the CSTO CSR Command with the forces and means of the air defense forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation during the preparation and conduct of a joint operation in the Unified Regional Air Defense System;
- management, interaction and comprehensive support (including special types of logistics) of the CSTO Coalition Aviation Group in the preparation and conduct of the joint operation of the CSTO CSR.
During the exercise, for the first time in the CSTO format, the deployment and application of a new component was tested – the joint formation of the CSTO Protection and medical support of the CSTO.
The issues of practical actions of the joint formation to eliminate the outbreak of a particularly dangerous infection in the CSTO CSR contingent during the operation have been worked out.
The issues of deployment (regrouping) of a joint formation in the region of a crisis situation and the order of organization of interaction with national authorities authorized to respond to large-scale and rapid spread of dangerous infectious diseases are investigated.
The formation demonstrated the effectiveness of the application and confirmed the ability to perform tasks according to their intended purpose.
The work on the creation of this new formation was carried out taking into account the experience of the Russian Ministry of Defense in the participation of military doctors and chemists in measures to combat the pandemic both on the territory of the Russian Federation and in providing assistance to other states.
The draft of the relevant Decision was approved by the Collective Security Council of the CSTO. The document provides for the deployment of a joint formation, if necessary, on the territory of one of the CSTO member states in order to ensure the protection of Troops (Collective Forces) The CSTO and the creation of safe medical and biological conditions for their deployment and application, participation in ensuring a collective response in the event of a large-scale and rapid spread of dangerous infectious diseases.
The recruitment of this formation is planned to be carried out on a coalition basis by representatives from all CSTO member states in accordance with the decision of the heads of state, based on the specific epidemiological situation, taking into account the needs of the receiving state and the capabilities of the sending parties.
This direction is recognized as important and promising, and in the development of this new component of the collective security system, the Defense Ministry of the Republic of Belarus initiated the issue of holding a special exercise "Barrier-2023" in 2023.
Special exercise with the forces and means of material and technical support of Troops (Collective Forces) The CSTO "Echelon-2022", during which the issues of the organization of logistics, as well as the management of the CSTO MTO CSR units in a joint operation were comprehensively worked out, against the general operational and tactical background of the Interaction-2022 exercise, taking into account the current risks and security challenges to the states of the Central Asian region.
For the first time, the practical episode "Tactics of actions of automobile units in mountainous conditions, the use of pack transport" was worked out, where the consolidated motor transport company of the CSTO MTO CSR regiment from Kazakhstan, which included units from the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation, made a march in mountainous terrain and, in cooperation with army aviation, worked out the issue of reflection in practice attacks by a conditional enemy DRG. In accordance with the plan, an element was worked out for the transfer of material assets from the consolidated automobile division of the MTO regiment to the pack transport company of the mining and jaeger regiment.
The coordinated work of the management bodies of the CSTO MTO CSR ensured the practical implementation of the tasks set by the units and subdivisions of the national contingents of the CSTO member states.
A special exercise with the forces and means of intelligence "Search-2022". During the exercise, the issues of organizing and conducting intelligence in the context of the aggravation of the military-political situation and during the localization of the border armed conflict in the Central Asian region of the Collective Security of the CSTO were worked out.
The features of the teaching were:
- creation of a variant of a unified system for managing intelligence agencies, collecting, processing and bringing intelligence information to the control points and means of destruction of the CSTO CSR;
- complex application of all types of intelligence (radio-electronic, military, special, air, space, artillery) in a single information space and data output in automated mode to the CSTO CSR command post;
- organization of reconnaissance support of the means of destruction of the CSTO CSR group during the conduct of reconnaissance, strike and fire actions in real time.
To perform reconnaissance tasks, unmanned aerial vehicles from the CSTO CSR were used, their use during the exercise in the vast majority of cases was planned to reveal the coordinates of enemy fire damage objects.
By calculating the complex with UAVs from the Republic of Kazakhstan, the tasks were performed within the framework of solving combat training tasks. The results of the reconnaissance were promptly transmitted to the CSTO CSR command post in the interests of the enemy's fire defeat.
On the territory of the Republic of Tajikistan – a joint exercise with the Central Asian Research and Development Center "Rubezh–2022". During the exercise, the issues of preparation and conduct of military operations of the Central Asian Security Council for the destruction of illegal armed formations that invaded the territory of the CSTO member state were worked out.
The exercise was conducted in an operational training environment, taking into account the current threats emanating from the territory of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
In the process of preparing a joint military operation, the command and the headquarters of the Central African Army showed organized work, which contributed to the timely development of a solution, successful planning of the operation, the development of combat administrative documents and the setting of tasks for the formations of the Central African Army.
Within the framework of working out tasks on the use of forces and means of the CSTO collective security system in the interests of countering international terrorist organizations, the units performed special tasks to repel an attack by militants on a border outpost, eliminate illegal armed formations in mountainous desert terrain, liberate captured objects and restore a section of the state border.
Conclusions based on the results of joint operational and combat training activities in 2022:
- a wide range of tasks has been worked out both to improve the mechanisms for responding to crisis situations in the CSTO area of responsibility, and to use Troops (Collective Forces) CSTO for their resolution;
- demonstrated the readiness of the national contingents of the CSTO member states to jointly carry out tasks to neutralize threats to collective security;
- officials who participated in the events as part of the management bodies of the components of the Troops (Collective Forces) CSTO, received practice in the organization of joint operations;
- the units participating in the joint exercises showed a high level of coherence and field training of personnel.
The objectives of the joint operational and combat training activities of the management bodies and formations of collective security forces and means, determined for 2022, have been achieved, the tasks have been implemented.
In 2023, the complex of joint exercises of the CSTO is held in the form of the operational-strategic exercise "Combat Brotherhood", which is the highest form of joint training in the format of the Organization. In different regions of the CSTO area of responsibility, all elements of the collective security system will be involved.
The practice of military exercises aimed at improving combat training, coherence and maintaining the readiness of Troops (Collective Forces) The CSTO will continue to fulfill the tasks of ensuring collective security. At the same time, the joint training of management bodies and formations of forces and means of the collective security system will be focused on the consideration of peacekeeping issues.
As part of the joint training, a set of measures has been planned.
A joint business game led by the Secretary General of the CSTO. During its implementation, the CSTO Crisis Response Center, in cooperation with the operational groups of interested ministries and departments of the Organization's member states, will consider in detail the factors affecting the state of collective security, predict the development of the military-political and strategic situation in the regions of collective security, determine the likelihood of crisis situations, as well as mechanisms of influence on them;
Joint and special exercises combining the training of various components of the CSTO Troops (Collective Forces) are planned to be held on the territory of the Republic of Belarus:
- joint exercise with the Collective Rapid Reaction Forces of the CSTO "Interaction-2023" with the elaboration of tasks on the use of forces and means of the CSTO collective security system in order to resolve the crisis situation in the Eastern European region of the Collective Security of the CSTO;
- special exercise with the forces and means of intelligence "Search-2023";
- a special exercise with the forces and means of material and technical support of Troops (Collective forces) CSTO Echelon-2023;
- a special exercise with the joint formation of radiation, chemical and biological protection and medical support "Barrier-2023".
At the final stage, a joint exercise with the CSTO Peacekeeping Forces "Unbreakable Brotherhood-2023" is planned to be held on the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic, during which the tasks of post-conflict settlement in the crisis zone will be worked out by conducting a peacekeeping operation using the forces and means of the CSTO collective security system in the interests of maintaining peace and security.
Work continues on improving cooperation and inviting third countries to participate in joint exercises held within the framework of the CSTO.
The possibility of participation in 2023 in exercises with the Peacekeeping Forces of the CSTO "Unbreakable Brotherhood-2023" and with the CSTO CSR "Interaction-2023" representatives or military contingents is being considered.
During the operational and combat training events, the practice of involving representatives of defense departments, basic educational and methodological and research organizations and the CSTO Joint Staff in joint exercises in order to study the current problems of the development of the forces and means of the CSTO collective security system has continued.
In 2022, the system of basic educational, methodological and research organizations of the CSTO was supplemented by the basic organization for training personnel in the field of mine clearance - the International Mine Action Center of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, stationed in the village of Nakhabino, Moscow region.
The status of basic educational and methodological organizations of the CSTO has been given to 12 military educational institutions that provide training in the following specialties: combined arms, air defense, missile forces and artillery, military air defense, communications, logistics, information security, electronic warfare, training of personnel of the CSTO Peacekeeping Forces, medical and pharmaceutical specialties, as well as personnel training responsible for ensuring the national security and defense capability of the Member States of the Organization.
In addition, seven specialized research organizations and military educational institutions have been given the status of basic research organizations that carry out scientific-theoretical and scientific-practical study of the creation, improvement, training and use of forces and means of the CSTO collective security system in the field of air defense, missile defense, MTO, medical support, electronic warfare combat, military-technical cooperation of the Organization and problems of development and application of the aviation component of the CSTO.
The Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is the leading among the basic educational and methodological and research organizations of the CSTO member states and the basic organization in the field of training personnel responsible for ensuring national security and defense capability of the CSTO member states.
In the 2022/2023 academic year, admission to military educational institutions in Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia was organized according to 1871 allocated quotas in 59 educational institutions that teach in 827 specialties. In total, over the years of cooperation, about 24 thousand servicemen have been trained in military educational institutions of the Organization's states.
Concluding his speech, the head of the CSTO Joint Staff, Colonel-General Anatoly Sidorov, noted that 2023 is an anniversary year for the Organization – April 28 will mark 20 years since the creation of the CSTO Joint Staff, the Department of Information and Mass Communications of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reports.
