Nerushimoye Bratstvo–2025 and Barrier–2025 CSTO Exercises Begin in Tajikistan

On October 20, a solemn opening ceremony for joint exercises with the Peacekeeping Forces of the Collective Security Treaty Organization was held at the Fakhrabad training ground in Tajikistan. According to the Joint CSTO Exercises Press Center, those exercises include Nerushimoye Bratstvo–2025 and a special exercise Barrier-2025, aimed at joint formation of nuclear, biological and chemical protection and medical support.

Lieutenant General Abdukodir Saidozoda, first deputy Defence Minister of the Republic of Tajikistan, Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces, Imangali Tasmagambetov, CSTO Secretary General, and Colonel General Andrei Serdyukov, Chief of the CSTO Joint Staff, took part in the ceremony, as well as representatives of the armed forces of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan, and other officials.

The ceremony began with a parade of peacekeeping contingents. The military band played the national anthems and the national flags of the CSTO Member States were raised.

Lieutenant General Abdukodir Saidozoda, first deputy Defence Minister of the Republic of Tajikistan, Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces, has spoke at the ceremony. "Considering the current situation, the matter of the Collective Security Treaty Organization's response to various threats and crisis scenarios have always been at the forefront of our attention. In the context of a rapidly developing situation and the concentration of destabilizing factors in the immediate vicinity of our borders, the readiness of collective forces and assets to perform their intended tasks is becoming increasingly important and relevant. Conducting such large-scale joint exercises is dictated by the rapidly developing situation in our difficult region, which underscores the need to combine the efforts of our countries in countering modern challenges and threats."

Imangali Tasmagambetov, CSTO Secretary General, also addressed the exercises' participants with a welcoming speech.

"The exercises are being held amid an escalating crisis in international relations and remaining potential for conflict in the Central Asian region of the CSTO collective security system. The leaders of the Organization's Member States are taking all necessary measures to develop the forces and assets of the collective security system to jointly counter modern challenges and threats. In the context of a complex military and political situation and regional instability, the CSTO peacekeeping forces must be in constant readiness to conduct peacekeeping operations both within the Organization's area of responsibility and beyond it under a UN mandate," said the CSTO Secretary General.

He also noted that the upcoming exercises will serve to improve the methods of work of commanders and staffs in preparing and conducting peacekeeping operations, as well as to increase the level of field training and coordination of national peacekeeping contingents.

The event concluded with a solemn march of peacekeeping contingents in one formation across the parade ground of the training camp.

From October 20 to 24, the active phase of the Nerushimoye Bratstvo–2025 joint exercises with the CSTO Peacekeeping Forces will take place at the Fakhrabad training ground in the Republic of Tajikistan. Preparation and conduct of a peacekeeping operation on the territory of a Member State of the Organization will be practiced.

For the first time as part of the peacekeeping exercise, a special exercise Barrier–2025 will be held, aimed at joint formation of NBC protection and medical support. During these exercises, the joint formation of NBC protection and medical support will be operationally subordinate to the Commander of the CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces. The main task of the joint formation in the exercise is to ensure the biological security of the coalition group of troops.

Military contingents from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan and operational groups of the Joint Staff and the CSTO Secretariat are participating in the Nerushimoye Bratstvo–2025 and Barrier-2025 exercises. The Russian contingent is mainly made up of units from the 201st military base of the Central Military District, including mountain units, communications units, electronic warfare units, NBC protection units, medical units, and unmanned aerial vehicle crews. The total number of participants in the exercises is about 1,500 people and more than 200 units of military and special equipment, including six helicopters and more than 20 UAVs.

The active phases of the CSTO exercises will be combined with the final stage of CIS Anti-Terror 2025, the joint anti-terrorism exercise of the competent bodies of the Member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

As you may recall, the monitoring group of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly will observe the exercises.