CSTO to work out uniform approach to using armed forces - General

MOSCOW. September 12. KAZINFORM The member-states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) intend to work out uniform approaches to using national armed forces, Russian army chief of staff Nikolai Makarov told a news conference on Monday.

"We wish to work out uniform approaches within the CSTO framework to using armed forces," Makarov said in comments on the Tsentr-2011 exercise, which will take place in Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in interaction with the national armed forces of these countries.

"Aside from the military, other CSTO law-enforcement agencies will participate in the drill. As for Russia, we wish to check the country's military organization in general with a set of mobilization events involving the industry. On Monday, we began the mobilization deployment of a number of formations and units under a plan," General Makarov said.

According to Itar-Tass, he noted that the Tsentr-2011 drill comprises several operation and tactical maneuvers. The first took place in Kazakhstan in June. In July, Kyrgyzstan hosted a troops concentration drill within the CSTO framework, while at present, the Combat Alliance 2011 exercise of the CIS unified air defence system is underway at firing ranges of Russia and Kazakhstan.

In the period from September 16 through September 22, Russia and Belarus will hold a joint exercise Union Shield 2011.

At the Gorokhovets training centre alone, more than 12,000 personnel will participate in the exercise, along with 200 units of equipment, including 100 tanks and over 100 aircraft.

"The Tsentr-2011 exercise is due to begin in the second half of September. It will involve more than 12,000 servicemen, some 70 aircraft, more than 1,000 units of armaments, as well as the Caspian Fleet in full complement. On October 27, we'll hold a partial analysis of the exercise," Makarov said.

Answering an Itar-Tass question about the on-going drill in the Eastern Military District the General said "a schedule drill involving a formation of nuclear-powered submarines is underway near Kamchatka." He declined to elaborate on the objective of the exercise.

"We'll continue patrol flights of long-range aviation planes," he added.

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