MINSK, May 25. /TASS/. Russia’s defense chief Sergey Shoigu has arrived in the capital of Belarus, Minsk, where his counterparts from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member countries will discuss regional challenges and threats later today, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Thursday.

Participants in the meeting of the CSTO Council of Defense Ministers will also discuss efforts to upgrade the Organization’s crisis response system and a number of issues of mutual interest, Russia’s top brass said in a statement.

The meeting will also be attended by the CSTO secretary general and the Organization’s Chief of General Staff, the Russian Defense Ministry added.

The CSTO comprises Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.