The secretary general of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) said on Tuesday that its recently established rapid reaction force is already capable of repelling an armed aggression against Armenia and other members of the Russian-led security pact.
“The Collective Operational Reaction Forces (CORF) is one of the main components that can effectively react to any challenges involving the use of force,” said Nikolay Bordyuzha. “Since those forces comprise army units that means a localization of armed conflicts, that means a quick closure of borders in case the situation escalates.”
Nikolay Bordyuzha spoke to journalists at the Marshal Bagramian training ground 40 kilometers west of Yerevan where about 2,000 CORF soldiers representing Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Armenia held military exercises for the fourth consecutive day.
“We are talking about a collective security system,” Bordyuzha said. “It is built upon on a collective potential. That collective potential is now in Armenia and jointly accomplishing tasks. We are thereby learning to act together in case the situation becomes quite tense.”
The Russian official was satisfied with the course of the exercises that will draw to a close on Wednesday in the presence of President Serzh Sarkisian and other senior Armenian official. Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov is also expected to attend the final and most important part of the drills.
The CORF forces on Monday simulated a joint operation against “irregular armed groups” that invaded a CSTO member state. The CSTO command praised the “high degree of coordination” among them.
“The Collective Operational Reaction Forces (CORF) is one of the main components that can effectively react to any challenges involving the use of force,” said Nikolay Bordyuzha. “Since those forces comprise army units that means a localization of armed conflicts, that means a quick closure of borders in case the situation escalates.”
Nikolay Bordyuzha spoke to journalists at the Marshal Bagramian training ground 40 kilometers west of Yerevan where about 2,000 CORF soldiers representing Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Armenia held military exercises for the fourth consecutive day.
“We are talking about a collective security system,” Bordyuzha said. “It is built upon on a collective potential. That collective potential is now in Armenia and jointly accomplishing tasks. We are thereby learning to act together in case the situation becomes quite tense.”
The Russian official was satisfied with the course of the exercises that will draw to a close on Wednesday in the presence of President Serzh Sarkisian and other senior Armenian official. Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov is also expected to attend the final and most important part of the drills.
The CORF forces on Monday simulated a joint operation against “irregular armed groups” that invaded a CSTO member state. The CSTO command praised the “high degree of coordination” among them.