Russia determined to prevent militant infiltration from Afghanistan to CSTO states - defense minister

BEIJING, April 24. /TASS/. Russia’s Defense Ministry has been taking measures to prevent militant infiltration from the northern parts of Afghanistan to the territory of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member states, Defense Minister Army General Sergei Shoigu said, addressing a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) defense ministers in Beijing on Tuesday. "In this regard, we have been enhancing the operational readiness of our military bases in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, providing them with modern weapons and military equipment," he said. "We have also been assisting our partners in the region in strengthening the combat capabilities of their armed forces," Shoigu added. He pointed out that counterterrorism command staff exercises had been held in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in March 2018. "In September, a joint exercise dubbed Issyk-Kul Anti-Terror 2018 will be held, which is expected to involve various security agencies. A series of drills involving the CSTO collective forces will take place in October. They are going to be held in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan in accordance with a unified plan," the Russian defense minister said. Shoigu also said that the Seventh Moscow Conference on International Security had discussed military and political situation in various parts of the world and ways to ensure stability. "The fight against international terrorism was touched upon at various levels. I would particularly like to mention powerful statements made by the defense ministers of Belarus, India, Kazakhstan, China and Pakistan, as well as by the SCO secretary general," Shoigu said. Read more