On Victory Square in Vitebsk, a solemn opening ceremony of the exercise with the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Collective Operational Response Forces (CORF) of the member states – Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan – took place.
"Interaction-2025" is aimed at practicing the issues of preparing and conducting a joint operation to participate in resolving a crisis situation on the territory of a CSTO member state. Special exercises "Poisk-2025" (with reconnaissance forces and assets) and "Echelon-2025" (with logistics forces and assets) will also be held.
The exercises will take place at the "Losvido" and "Lepelsky" training grounds, involving about 1.5 thousand people. According to the Chief of the General Staff – First Deputy Minister of Defense of the Republic of Belarus, Major General Pavel Muraveiko, the current global military-political situation cannot be called calm, and in such conditions, we need to keep our powder dry. That is precisely why great attention is paid to the training of command and control bodies and headquarters of the collective security system troops.
Within the framework of the exercises, it is planned to work out issues related to ensuring collective security, creating conditions for countering external aggression, combating illegal armed groups and enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups, the use of unmanned aerial vehicle systems and robotic systems, electronic warfare, and the deployment of communication and information systems using the latest IT achievements.
Contingents of all countries have something to show. The Chief of the Joint Staff of the CSTO, Hero of the Russian Federation, Colonel-General Andrey Serdyukov, emphasized that during the exercises, the capabilities of modern samples of weapons, military and special equipment developed by leading enterprises of the CSTO countries' military-industrial complex will be demonstrated. The exercises will serve to further improve and enhance the readiness of the CSTO Collective Security Treaty Organization's Collective Rapid Deployment Forces to perform their intended tasks, and will allow demonstrating the organization's resolve and the readiness of the силового компонента to ensure collective security.
Welcoming the participants of the exercises, the Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee, Alexander Subbotin, noted that the start was given on Victory Square, which is a symbol of the eternal glory of the defenders of the Fatherland of many nationalities. The unity of the Soviet people helped to withstand the difficult times and preserve the country. Today, it is especially acutely felt how easily security can be lost, and what incredible efforts it takes to preserve it. Time shows that gaining sovereignty is not enough; one must be able to defend it.
Alexander Subbotin expressed confidence that the international exercises, which will take place at our training grounds, will strengthen the trusting relationship between the Armed Forces and the peoples of our states.
"Vitebskiye Vesti"
