KHARB-MAIDON RANGE /Tajikistan/, October 21. /TASS/. The opening ceremony for the drills of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) dubbed "Enduring Brotherhood 2019," which will last until October 29, was held at the Kharb-Maidon range in Tajikistan, on the border with Afghanistan, TASS reported from the venue.

"Today the joint international drills ‘Enduring Brotherhood’ started at the Kharb-Maidon range on the territory of the Republic of Tajikistan. Being part of a series of drills in the Central Asian strategic area in 2019, the ‘Enduring Brotherhood’ has special character and is remarkable for joint actions of the military contingents of six states: the Republic of Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation. Regarding the unstable situation in the world and the escalating situation in Afghanistan, the joint actions of the states participating in the drills show the intention of our countries’ administrations to provide regional security on a legal basis," Commander-in-Chief of the Central Military District Alexander Lapin said at the opening ceremony.

Tajik Deputy Defense Minister Abdulkhoshim Davron Gulomzoda also noted the difficult situation in the Central Asian region. "The situation remains difficult; there is a tendency toward escalation. The cases of the concentration of armed groups of international terrorist organizations, including citizens of our states, on the bordering area are especially alarming. The creation of bases and camps for training militants in Afghanistan’s northern provinces," he said.

The drills consist of two stages. During the first stage, the rapid deployment force will carry out a counter-terrorist operation to destroy and block illegal armed groups. At the second stage, the CSTO peacekeeping force will carry out a peacekeeping operation to support peace in the Central Asian region of collective security. Two foreign contingents - from Armenia and Belarus - will take part in the second stage of the drills. They will arrive on October 24.

More than 2,000 servicemen and more than 600 arms and vehicles are involved in the drills. Almost 20 Russian planes and helicopters will also take part in the "Enduring Brotherhood": they will provide reconnaissance and aerial support of land units. The drills will be carried out in accordance with the Russian Armed Forces’ training schedule for 2019 under Colonel General Lapin’s command.