CSTO Joint Staff Chief Warns of Growing Instability Near Organization's Borders

MOSCOW, September 3. /TASS/. The tense military-political situation in the world is bringing threats closer to the area of responsibility of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Chief of the CSTO Joint Staff Colonel General Andrey Serdyukov stated.

"The military-political situation in the world remains tense," he said, adding that the tension is caused by "a profound transformation of the system of international relations, the collapse of previous arms control agreements, and a shift toward fierce confrontation between key centers of power."

"The current global and regional processes are having a significant negative impact on the military-political situation and are contributing to the movement of zones of instability closer to the area of responsibility of the CSTO member states," Serdyukov emphasized.

According to him, "in view of the current situation, the main focus this year is on the Eastern European and Central Asian regions of collective security." "At the same time, the main efforts are focused on the CSTO’s priority areas of activity for the period of the Russian Federation’s chairmanship, which are linked to organizing joint operations and combat training in accordance with the nature of current and future threats and challenges in the organization’s area of responsibility, taking into account the experience of modern military operations," the CSTO Joint Staff Chief stated.