Armenia participates in CSTO drills in RussiaOctober 30, 2018 - 15:22 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The joint drills of the peacekeeping forces of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member countries - Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan - dubbed Unbreakable Brotherhood 2018 kicked off in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg on Tuesday, October 30, TASS reports. The opening ceremony was held on the territory of the 32nd cantonment while the maneuvers will be conducted at the Sverdlovsky practice range. "The aim is to check the readiness of the CSTO peacekeeping contingent to accomplish missions, improve the skills of the personnel and master the professionalism of officers of command and control bodies," Chief of the CSTO Joint Staff Colonel-General Anatoly Sidorov said at the opening ceremony. "In 2018, the troops of the Central Military District are going through especially tense operational and combat training: they have already taken part in five international drills," Deputy Commander of the Central Military District Lieutenant-General Yuri Petrov said. The Unbreakable Brotherhood-2018 drills involve about 1,300 troops, 300 pieces of military hardware and 20 various aircraft, including unmanned aerial vehicles. About 300 servicemen have arrived in Yekaterinburg from Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Russia will be represented by a peacekeeping battalion, reconnaissance, military police and logistics units, field mobile command posts and aircraft. Top stories The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. London’s Armenian community has been left feeling “under attack” after the city’s Genocide monument was vandalised. The United States believes there should be an international mission to provide transparency. Partner news | Turkey extends military presence in Azerbaijan The Turkish parliament has adopted a bill submitted by Recep Tayyip Erdogan to extend the mandate of Turkish troops. Russia to begin assessing migrant workers' speaking skills Rosobrnadzor is planning to change the Russian language exam for migrant workers and include an assessment of speaking skills Armenian, Saudi Foreign Minister meet in Riyadh The two commended the positive dynamics of the development of political dialogue between Armenia and Saudi Arabia Pashinyan: Azerbaijan’s proximity shouldn’t worry border residents At the same time, he said that he “does not guarantee [the security of villagers] one hundred percent”. |