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CIS states to hold integrated air defense system drills in September

The exercise will run in two stages at practice ranges in the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan

Chief of Russian General Staff and First Deputy Defense Minister Army General Valery Gerasimov Alexei Yereshko/Russian Defense Ministry Press Office/TASS

Chief of Russian General Staff and First Deputy Defense Minister Army General Valery Gerasimov

© Alexei Yereshko/Russian Defense Ministry Press Office/TASS

ST. PETERSBURG, June 9. /TASS/. The chiefs of the General Staffs of the CIS member states agreed upon the scenario of the joint live-fire drills of their integrated air defense system that will run in September, Chief of Russia’s General Staff, First Deputy Defense Minister Army General Valery Gerasimov announced on Wednesday.

The joint exercise was agreed upon at a session of the Committee of the CIS Chiefs of the General Staffs.

"While winding up the session of the Committee of the Chiefs of the General Staffs, I want to note that our joint work traditionally proceeded in a trustworthy and constructive atmosphere. The scenario of the Combat Brotherhood-2021 joint live-fire exercise of the troops (forces) of the integrated air defense system was agreed upon. The exercise will run in two stages at practice ranges in the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan in September," Gerasimov said.

Other decisions

The session also defined tasks in building the CIS aerospace defense system, agreed upon joint measures by the bloc’s armed forces in 2022 and mapped out the ways of developing interaction in defense and military security, proceeding from the requirements set by the presidents of the member states in the bloc’s new concept of military cooperation through 2025.

The heads of the military delegations also approved a long-term plan of practical measures for the concept’s implementation. It stipulates setting up and developing joint (united) military systems, increasing the level of interaction between the CIS member states’ defense ministries in comprehensive provision, military personnel training and the war on terror.

The defense delegations also analyzed the experience of the Russian radiation, chemical and biological protection troops in the anti-coronavirus fight and safe flights in the armed forces of the CIS member states.

The session was attended by the military delegations of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, and the delegations of the CIS Executive Committee and the Secretariat of the CIS Defense Ministers’ Council.

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