BREST, September 6. /TASS/. Representatives from NATO members Germany and Bulgaria, as well as Austria and Sweden have arrived as monitors at the exercise of the Collective Security Treaty Organization's Rapid Reaction Force codenamed Interaction - 2023, a TASS correspondent reports from the Brest training ground 4 kilometers away from the border with Poland.
Observers from Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Serbia and Syria are also present at the exercise.
Earlier, the state secretary of the Security Council of Belarus, Alexander Volfovich, said that military attaches of 13 states, as well as representatives of a number of other countries, were invited. Poland and France refused to send observers. Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin said that 19 countries, including three NATO states, confirmed their participation as observers.
Five joint and special drills are to be conducted within the framework of the CSTO operational-strategic exercises Combat Brotherhood - 2023 held in Belarus from September 1 to 6. The purpose of the Interaction exercise is to practice the use of the forces and means of the collective security system to resolve a crisis in the CSTO’s Eastern European region. Intelligence units are involved in the Search exercise. During the Echelon exercise logistical support is being practiced. A joint radiation, chemical and biological protection and medical support unit is being set up during the special exercise codenamed Barrier. Emergency Situations Ministry units are participating in the special exercise Cliff. Contingents from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan are taking part in the events. The CSTO also includes Armenia. In all, more than 2,500 servicemen and more than 500 pieces of military and special equipment are involved in the drills. At the final stage of the Combat Brotherhood - 2023 exercise it is planned to hold joint maneuvers by the CSTO Peacekeeping Force Indestructible Brotherhood - 2023 in Kyrgyzstan.