Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan have joined the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Force Trainings taking place in Belarus.
Polish Radio for Ukraine reported on this.
A parade was held in Vitebsk with the participation of military personnel from Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, officially marking the start of the exercises. The maneuvers will be conducted at the Losvido and Lepelsky training grounds and will last for a week.
According to the CSTO leadership, their goal is to prepare collective forces to respond to crisis situations.
It was already known at the beginning of August that a series of exercises under the CSTO’s auspices were planned to take place in Belarus in September.
In particular, the country will organize several separate events – the joint training with the Collective Rapid Reaction Forces of the CSTO Interaction-2025, the reconnaissance assets exercise Search-2025, as well as the logistics units maneuvers Echelon-2025.
Analysts suggest that these exercises may have a hidden purpose – to create the conditions for the buildup of Russian troops and equipment on Belarusian territory.
It is possible that similar objectives are pursued by the upcoming strategic exercise Zapad-2025. Earlier reports indicated the arrival in Belarus of the first echelon of Russian troops and weaponry.
According to the official version, their goal is to practice joint defensive and offensive operations, improve coordination between the armed forces, and test readiness for various combat scenarios.
However, such exercises traditionally cause concern among neighboring countries due to the risk of provocations, incidents, or unpredictable actions.
At the end of May, Belarusian Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin stated that the main part of that year’s maneuvers would be moved deeper into the country’s territory – in order to ‘reduce tensions.’
He also added that such a step “demonstrates a readiness for dialogue” with neighboring states and emphasized that the Russian-Belarusian exercises “are not directed against any country.”
In response to Zapad 2025, Poland will hold its own strategic exercise Żelazny Obrońca (Iron Defender) in September, which will also involve several NATO member countries.