Poland decided to ignore the invitation of Belarus to observe the CSTO exercises, Chief of the CSTO Joint Staff, Colonel General Anatoly Sidorov said at a briefing for the press in Moscow on 16 November.
Within the framework of a tactical special exercise meant to ensure nuclear and radiation safety of the population in Ostrovets District a team charged with containing a reactor equipment emergency demonstrated its practical work.
Military contingents of five countries take part in the exercise: Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. A total of over 2,500 military personnel and over 500 units of weaponry, military and special hardware will be deployed for the exercise.
According to the source, the Poisk 2023 exercise is being held as part of the CSTO's operational-strategic exercise Boyevoye Bratstvo 2023 [Combat Brotherhood] in Belarus' territory.
On January 5, in response to the then-rapidly worsening national crisis in Kazakhstan, which was triggered by increased fuel prices resulting in popular protests sweeping the country, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev formally requested an intervention by the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). The following day, the security situation deteriorated further, especially in Almaty where demonstrations turned into widespread looting and destruction …