CSTO to establish humanitarian response centre in Tajikistan

A humanitarian response centre under the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) is set to be established in Tajikistan to enhance rapid response capabilities to earthquakes and other large-scale emergencies.

The announcement was made by Russia’s Emergency Situations Minister Alexander Kurenkov at a meeting of the CSTO Coordination Council on Emergency Situations, according to Caliber.Az, referring to Tajik media reports.

Kurenkov said the centre would be located near seismically active zones and equipped with specialised machinery, rescue equipment and supplies, including food and essential goods, to enable swift assistance during disasters.

He stressed that emergency responders operate under intense time pressure in crisis situations. “Every minute counts,” he said, adding that the creation of the centre would significantly reduce response times.

Officials are currently coordinating the centre’s structure, defining equipment requirements and identifying procurement sources. Options under consideration include acquiring equipment manufactured in Belarus or Russia.

Kurenkov also announced that Tajikistan will host the “Skala-2026” rescue exercises from October 13 to 15. The drills will be conducted in conditions designed to closely simulate real disaster scenarios and will focus on managing the aftermath of a major earthquake.

In addition, a separate exercise, “Kobalt-2026”, involving command authorities and special forces units, is scheduled to take place in the country.

According to Kurenkov, such exercises help improve coordination among units from different countries and strengthen practical emergency response capabilities.

By Tamilla Hasanova