Second phase of CSTO Rubezh 2026 exercise begins in Kazakhstan

Second phase of CSTO Rubezh 2026 exercise begins in Kazakhstan The total number of exercise participants is about 1,500MOSCOW, September 16. /TASS/. The second phase of the Collective Security Treaty Organization’s (CSTO) Rubezh 2026 exercise, involving the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces of the Central Asian region, has begun at the Koktal training ground in Kazakhstan, Vladislav Shchegrikovich, press secretary of the CSTO Joint Staff, told TASS. The total number of exercise participants is about 1,500, with more than 300 pieces of military and specialized equipment involved, including 115 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for various purposes. Military contingents from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan are participating, along with operational groups from the CSTO Joint Staff and Secretariat. The Russian contingent consists primarily of service members from the Central Military District, specifically from the 201st Guards Military Base, according to the CSTO Joint Staff. "The second phase of the Rubezh 2026 joint exercise with the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces of the Central Asian region has begun at the Kotal training range in the Republic of Kazakhstan," Shchegrikovich stated. He specified that during the Combat Operations phase, participants are practicing "two main training objectives: the occupation of the area of responsibility by the national contingents of the Central Asian Region’s Collective Rapid Deployment Forces and the elimination of illegal armed groups that have invaded the territory of a CSTO member state." "Units are drilling practical maneuvers in both daytime and nighttime conditions for various tactical scenarios, including repelling attacks by a simulated enemy on checkpoints and populated areas, as well as detecting and destroying explosive devices and caches of weapons and ammunition belonging to illegal armed groups," said Shchegrikovich. Using present experience to ensure safe future The CSTO Joint Staff press service also emphasizes that experience gained in modern armed conflicts plays an important role during the exercise. "The command and control bodies of the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces of the Central Asian region are carrying out training and combat tasks from hardened command posts. Various types of UAVs are actively being used for unit command and control, aerial reconnaissance, air and artillery fire adjustment, and delivering fire strikes," specified the CSTO Joint Staff press secretary. Significant attention is being paid to defense against UAVs of a simulated adversary, with an emphasis on mobile armed units, as well as to electronic warfare and air defense. Small assault groups are using motorcycles, quad bikes, and Ulan-1 and Ulan-2 tactical all-terrain vehicles. In addition, according to the exercise commander, Commander of Kazakhstan’s Airborne Assault Forces Colonel Makhsut Guseinov, "a rapidly evolving situation with a steady escalation" has been created at the Rubezh 2026 exercise. "The units drilled approximately 40 different scenarios within a tight timeframe. The results allow us to assess the personnel’s readiness for sudden changes in the situation, as well as their ability to respond to threats posed by the enemy’s use of unmanned aerial systems and improvised explosive devices," Guseinov stated. 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