CSTO peacekeeping forces to get first-ever UN mandate

PanARMENIAN.Net - CSTO collective peacekeeping forces will for the first time get a mandate of the UN Security Council and will act in a crisis area together with the UN mission during Unbreakable Brotherhood 2016 exercise to be held in Belarus on August 23-27, BelTa reports.

Concerted efforts aimed at improving the CSTO's peacekeeping assets have been noted by representatives of other international organizations. Representatives of the UN Secretariat and the International Committee of the Red Cross have been invited to attend the exercise.

This year’s drills are supposed to become an important stage in joint operational and combat training of various parts of the CSTO's force component, CSTO Press Secretary Vladimir Zainetdinov said.

The exercise will take place near Baranovichi in the Obuz-Lesnovsky exercise area. The drills will focus on preparing and carrying out a peacekeeping operation by the CSTO collective peacekeeping forces. However, the concept of the exercise will differ from conventional templates. Instead, a number of useful novelties will be practiced. They reflect new ways of carrying out peacekeeping missions as part of modern integrated peacekeeping operations.

The Unbreakable Brotherhood 2016 exercise will involve over 1,000 officers and soldiers from the armies, the interior troops, and police of the six CSTO member states (Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia and Tajikistan) as well as over 500 automobiles, aircraft, and armored vehicles.