CSTO military exercises underway in Kyrgyzstan with 1,500 troops participating

Balykchi (Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan) is hosting the active phase of the CSTO Interaction command and staff exercise, as well as special exercises Search and Echelon.

Military personnel from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan, as well as representatives of the CSTO Secretariat and Joint Staff, are taking part in the events, Caliber.Az reports, citing Kyrgyz media.

In total, more than 1,500 servicemen and over 200 units of military equipment are involved, including about 10 units of aircraft and the same number of naval vessels. In particular, Mi-8, Mi-8 MTV, Mi-17 B-5 helicopters, An-26, Su-30 SM aircraft, T-72 tanks, BMP-2 tanks, as well as reconnaissance and attack UAVs.

Representatives of the CSTO countries and the diplomatic corps are monitoring the exercise.