CSTO joint exercise ‘Cobalt-2022’ starts in Issyk-Kul Oblast

BISHKEK. KAZINFORM «Cobalt-2022» joint exercise of member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) started Wednesday at the Edelweiss training ground in Balykchy town of Kyrgyzstan’s Issyk-Kul Oblast, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the republic said, KABAR reports.

The Edelweiss training ground hosted an opening ceremony of special tactical exercises «Cobalt-2022» with the participation of special units of the Interior Ministry and the rapid reaction forces of CSTO member states.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Minister of Interior of Kyrgyzstan Oktyabr Urmambetov noted that the purpose of such directed measures is to prevent criminal activity in the participating states, as well as close cooperation among law enforcement agencies of CSTO countries.

The event was attended by representatives of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Russia. The national anthems of the participating countries were followed by a military parade.

The exercise will last until Aug. 5, 2022.

«During the exercise, combined groups of special-purpose troops of member states will perform training and applied operational and combat tasks to search, block and neutralize gangs, terrorist groups, as well as shut down drug smuggling channels and detect caches, laboratories for the storage and production of drugs and their destruction,» the Interior Ministry said.

Photo: en.kabar.kg