MOSCOW, October 2. /TASS/. Collective forces of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) are practicing responses to aggression and the infiltration of terrorist groups as part of the Interaction 2026 joint exercise, Alexander Stepanov, a military expert at the Institute of Law and National Security at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), told TASS.

"The comprehensive nature of such exercises is primarily aimed at neutralizing potential regional threats and ensuring security along the southern borders--in particular, preventing the possible infiltration of forces from international terrorist organizations that remain active," he said. "Significant attention is also being paid to bringing logistical support for combat and reconnaissance operations up to uniform standards," the expert added.

He emphasized that the exercise actively facilitate information exchange and the use of new tools for conducting combat and reconnaissance operations.

Contingents (collective forces) from the CSTO member states - the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, and the Republic of Tajikistan - are participating in the CSTO exercise at the Chebarkul training ground. These include military contingents, special forces’ units of internal affairs bodies, security agencies and special services, authorized bodies in the sphere of emergencies prevention and relief, as well as task groups of the CSTO Joint Staff and Secretariat.

In total, about 2,000 military personnel and 350 pieces of weaponry, military and specialized equipment are engaged. The maneuvers’ key features include the extensive use of various types of UAVs and robotic systems, as well as combat practice based on experience gained during the special military operation in Ukraine.