RUSSIA AND ITS CSTO ALLIES BEGIN MILITARY EXERCISES IN BELARUS
More than 1,500 military personnel from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have begun joint CSTO exercises in Belarus, scheduled to continue through October 16.
The exercises involve more than 300 pieces of military and specialized equipment, along with approximately 80 drones of various types.
At the Losvido training ground, forces participating in “Indestructible Brotherhood-2026” will rehearse the preparation and execution of a supposed peacekeeping operation. At the Starodorozhsky training ground, the parallel “Barrier-2026” exercise will focus on protection from nuclear, chemical and biological threats, along with field medicine and medical support.
The Russian contingent is primarily drawn from a combined-arms army within Russia’s Central Military District. Belarus is also contributing aviation, engineering forces, drone crews, air-defense and electronic-warfare systems, internal troops and riot police.
CSTO officials insist the exercises are routine and “not directed against third countries.” That familiar reassurance carries limited comfort when the drills are taking place in Belarus—the country Russia used as a staging ground for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and where Moscow has since stationed tactical nuclear weapons.
The CSTO officially consists of six countries, but Armenia has frozen its participation and is not taking part. That leaves Russia exercising with the four governments still willing to appear beside it.
The Russian contingent may want to bring plenty of tow trucks—and pay particularly close attention during the medical-support portion. Ukraine has already given Russia’s military extensive practical experience in why both are necessary.