Armenia to abstain from CSTO drills amid "frozen" membership

Armenia, a longstanding member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), is expected to abstain from participation due to the "freezing" of its membership within the organization.

CSTO Secretary General Imangali Tasmagambetov, in an interview with the editor-in-chief of the National Defense magazine Igor Korotchenko, has revealed plans for seven strategic exercises slated for the year, encompassing various joint military operations and training regimes, Caliber.Az reports

Tasmagambetov outlined the comprehensive agenda of exercises, including the prominent "Rubezh-2024" joint exercise, alongside others such as "Interaction-2024," "Indestructible Brotherhood-2024," "Search-2024," "Echelon-2024," "Rock-2024," and "Cobalt-2024." These exercises are designed to bolster coordination and readiness among CSTO member states, strategically located across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Russia.

Tasmagambetov emphasized the importance of these exercises in fortifying key areas of the organization's operational capacities. He underscored that all activities would adhere to the 2024 plan for joint training, ratified by the Council of Defence Ministers and the Committee of Secretaries of Security Councils.

However, it is anticipated that Armenia will not partake in these exercises due to its "frozen" membership status within the CSTO.

The decision to refrain from participation aligns with Armenia's current stance towards the CSTO, reflecting a diplomatic hiatus that has ensued from internal and external geopolitical factors. The "frozen" status of Armenia's membership underscores the complexities within the organization and the broader regional dynamics that continue to evolve.