BREST, September 6. /TASS/. A practice drill simulating a tactical combat event and carried out by a unit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)’s Collective Rapid Reaction Force (KSOR) has kicked off in Belarus as part of the CSTO’s Interaction-2023 military exercise, a TASS correspondent reported from the Brestsky proving ground located 4 kilometers away from the border with Poland.
Under the war game scenario, a hypothetical adversary has established control over a section of the border zone, occupying several towns, while rail traffic has been suspended and several terrorist attacks have been attempted. Within the framework of a joint operation for stabilizing the situation, the CSTO KSOR tactical unit began carrying out its mission to block and eliminate the illegal armed formation, liberate the occupied territory, and detain and disarm the militants, working together with the local branches of the Belarusian Border Guards and Interior Ministry.
To carry out the mission, assault and mobile armored groups were formed, as well as groups providing cover, ambush, fire support and other combat tasks. The main groups were composed of personnel from the participating Belarusian, Kyrgyz, Russian and Tajik ground troops. Aviation, artillery and armored hardware will also be deployed during the drills.
Within a given stage of the Combat Brotherhood-2023 joint strategic military exercise held in Belarus on September 1-6, five special joint drills were planned. The Interaction-2023 exercise focuses on drilling for a hypothetical deployment of CSTO collective security forces and equipment to settle a mock crisis situation in the CSTO-Eastern European collective security space. The Search-2023 exercise involves personnel and resources from CSTO member states’ military intelligence units, while Echelon-2023 deploys manpower and assets from CSTO (Collective Forces) military logistics units, and Barrier-2023 involves a joint formation of the CSTO radiological, chemical and biological protection force and medical support units. Units from the respective countries’ emergencies ministries are taking part in the Rock-2023 special drill. Military contingents from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan are participating in the event. In addition to these countries, Armenia is also a CSTO member. In all, it was announced that over 2,500 servicemen and more than 500 units of weapons and military and special hardware were set to participate. The concluding stage of the Combat Brotherhood-2023 exercise will involve the Indestructible Brotherhood-2023 joint drills of the CSTO Peacekeeping Force in Kyrgyzstan.