The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Secretary-General Yuri Khachaturov has highly appraised the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Force (CRRF) joint exercise conducted in Tajikistan.
Yuri Khachaturov arrived in Dushanbe on November 16 to observe a final phase of the exercise that was launched at the Harbmaydon training ground in the Khatlon province on November 17.
“The exercise has shown that the CRRF’s level of preparedness has improved. I consider that the exercise has been successful and servicemen have fulfilled all the tasks put before them,” Khachaturov told reporters in Dushanbe.
Russia deployed Iskander-M tactical ballistic-missile systems to Tajikistan for a ten-day military exercise that kicked off at five training grounds in Tajikistan on November 10.
An Iskander ballistic missile that was launched from the Lohur training ground on November 17 hit a simulated terrorist camp at the Harbmaydon training ground, which is located more than 130 kilometers from the Lohur training ground.
Defense Attachés of Afghanistan, the United Kingdom, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, turkey, the United States and Russia reportedly observed the exercise phase being conducted at the Harbmaydon training ground.
The purpose of the exercise, involving more than 5000 military personnel, along with armored vehicles, artillery, air-defense batteries, helicopters and ground-support aircraft from Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan, was in rehearsing coordination and interaction in combat mission against terrorist groups.
The exercise scenario is reportedly based on a group of terrorists penetrating into Tajik territory from Afghanistan.
The presidents of member nations of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) gathered in Moscow on February 4, 2009 to sign an agreement to create a joint rapid-reaction force.
Collective Rapid Reaction Force is a joint combined arms task force comprising independent military units from the Collective Security Treaty Organization member nations.
CRRF currently comprises following units: Russia — 98th Guards Airborne Division (Ivanovo) and 31st Guards Air Assault Brigade (Ulyanovsk); Kazakhstan — 37th Separate Air Assault Brigade (Taldykorgan) and Marine forces battalion; Belarus — Spetsnaz brigade; Armenia — infantry battalion; Kyrgyzstan — infantry battalion; and Tajikistan — infantry battalion. The total strength of CRRF is more than 17,000 servicemen.
The first joint exercises of CRRF were held in October 2009 at Matybulak firing range in Kazakhstan near the border with China.
The Collective Security Treaty Organization groups Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan.
