Russia announces creation of unified air defence system within CSTO

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has said the member countries of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) have actually created a unified air defence system.

He made the statement in an interview with journalist Pavel Zarubin on the Rossiya 1 TV channel, Gazeta.ru reports.

According to him, Moscow has already concluded relevant bilateral agreements with Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

"In fact, it [unified air defence system] has been created at the bilateral level. <...> It is, of course, equipped, it works, we periodically hold exercises, maintain it in combat condition," the head of the military department emphasized.

Shoigu added that a joint defence system exists on the territory of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). However, as the minister pointed out, it was actually made by the CSTO countries. At the same time, he drew attention to the parties' readiness to document the existence of a unified air defence system if such a need arises.