MOSCOW, March 17. /TASS/. The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is holding a tactical command and staff training of its Joint Staff, Secretariat, and the member states’ relevant ministries and agencies on March 17-20, CSTO Joint Staff Spokesman Vladislav Shchegrikovich told reporters.

The training is being led by Colonel General Andrey Serdyukov, head of the Joint Staff. He pointed out that the regular training was key in terms of the organizations’ joint exercises in 2025. "It is not directed against any specific countries and military blocs as its main goal is to improve the joint operation of the CSTO Crisis Response Center and the member states’ task forces with regard to assessing the situation in the regions of collective security, and developing proposals and draft decisions by the CSTO’s statutory bodies related to forming and deploying the troops (of the Collective Forces)," Serdyukov pointed out.

The strategic command and staff training is taking place in three stages. "Ways to prevent crisis situations in the Eastern Europe region of collective security will be the focus of the first stage," Serdyukov said. The second stage is expected to address the challenges regarding efforts to prevent crises in the Central Asia region, while the third stage will be dedicated to the training of preparations for a peacekeeping operation in a CSTO member state, which is going to be held in Tajikistan’s Khatlon Region.

"This year, participants for the first time plan to work out ways to form and deploy a joint nuclear, chemical, and biological protection and medical care unit tasked with ensuring the biological security of a peacekeeping operation," Serdyukov added.