ASTANA, September 14. /TASS/. The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) must be prepared for the challenges and threats of today’s turbulent world, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan Askar Zholamanov said at the opening of the CSTO Rubezh 2026 exercise in Kazakhstan.
"The global situation remains unstable, and we must be prepared for various challenges and threats that are relevant not only to our countries but also to the entire international community," Zholamanov emphasized. A video of his speech was provided by the Defense Ministry’s press service. He noted that the CSTO attaches "great importance to cooperation in the joint training of command structures and troops." On behalf of Kazakhstan’s leadership, he expressed gratitude to his colleagues from the alliance’s member states for their "active participation in this important event."
The CSTO Rubezh 2026 exercise, which began in Kazakhstan o Monday, involves 1,500 military personnel and more than 300 pieces of weaponry, military and specialized equipment, including 115 unmanned aerial vehicles.
As Vladislav Schegrikovich, press secretary of the CSTO Joint Staff, previously told TASS, the active phase of the joint exercise with the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces of the Central Asian Region has begun at the Kotal training ground in Kazakhstan. The exercise participants are practicing the preparation and conduct of combat operations aimed at eliminating illegal armed groups that have invaded the territory of a CSTO member state.