| Submit your comments on this article |
| Central Asia |
| Russia begins manuevers in Kyrgyzstan |
| 2004-08-03 |
| The second stage of the Rubezh-2004 manoeuvres of the Collective Rapid Reaction Force (CRRF) of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) has begun in Kyrgyzstan. The Kyrgyz Defence Ministry held a meeting of the exercises' staff. Deputy commander of the exercises Malik Dzhumagulov pointed out, "No state is capable of fighting terrorism alone and the CSTO is becoming more and more serious political, economic and military force for the stabilization of the situation in the region and ensuring national and collective security as years pass." The CRRF commander, Major-General Sergei Chernomordin stressed, "All the units of the Rubezh-2004 exercise are concentrated in the zones of departure." In the period from August 3 to 5, said the commander, the manoeuvres controls will study the operational environment and on August 6 will carry out the field firing exercise. According to the manoeuvres scenario, the Al Qaeda group and other terrorist organisations are heading to the Fergana valley with the aim of establishing a united Caliphate. The CRRF task is to eliminate the bandit formations with the support of aviation. Taking part in the exercises are 1,700 military servicemen of the CRRF. Elite special task force units of the Volga-Urals military district, 23 aircraft and helicopters, including the famous Black Shark are taking part in the manoeuvres on the part of Russia. On Tuesday, the dress rehearsal of the forthcoming manoeuvres, watched by Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force General Vladimir Mikhailov, will be carried out. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov and CSTO Secretary General Nikolai Borduyzha will also monitor the exercises. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |