CSTO member-states begin Unbreakable Brotherhood'2014 war games in Kyrgyzstan
It will be held on the Ala-Too drill range near Kyrgyzstan's capital Bishkek, the press service of the Kyrgyzstani Defense Ministry said Tuesday. Armed Forces of all the member-states of the CSTO have committed their units to the exercise. "The biggest number of units taking part in the Unbreakable Brotherhood 2014 has been provided by Kazakhstan," the Chief of the General Staff of Kyrgyzstan's Armed Forces, Asambel Alymkozhoyev said. "There is a (Kazakhstani) tactical group, a battalion, an air assault company, an engineering platoon, a medical platoon, and army aviation." "Russia is represented by an operational group and company-level tactical group with the strength of up to 60 servicemen," he went on. "Armenia has sent here an operational group and an infantry platoon, while Tajikistan and Belarus are represented by operational groups and peacekeeping platoons." Kyrgyzstan has offered army aviation and a mountain rifle battalion. "Besides, the program of the exercise envisions the participation of units and forces of the Interior, Emergency Situations and Healthcare ministries from each country and other agencies in case of a breakout of mass disorders," Alymkozhoyev said. The active phase of the exercise is scheduled for August 1 and the closing ceremony will be held on the same day. As the main objective of these war games, Alymkozhoyev named joint training and simulation of a peacekeeping operation in the Central Asian region, Itar-Tass reports. During the drill at the Ala-Too firing range, the top military commanders of the CSTO will assess the capability of the units for rapid deployment. "Exercises in the series are held annually in one of the member-states," Alymzhoyev said. He believes that after the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan a real threat of penetration of paramilitary units from there to Central Asia may appear. "The CSTO exists precisely for the purpose of sealing and defending the borders of the member-states," Alymkozhoyev said. The CSTO has six member-states - Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. It was founded May 14, 2002 on the basis of the 1992 Collective Security Treaty. In 2004, it received an observer status at the UN General Assembly.
