Russian Airborne Troops Return From CSTO Combat Readiness Drills

The 98th division of Russian Airborne Troops that has taken part in the snap combat readiness check of the Collective Security Treaty Organization's rapid reaction force is returning from Tajikistan.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The 98th division of Russian Airborne Troops that has taken part in the snap combat readiness check of the Collective Security Treaty Organization's (CSTO) rapid reaction force is returning from Tajikistan to the location of its permanent deployment, the Defense Ministry informs.

The units will first march 200 kilometres (124 miles) on foot and will then be transported to Ivanovo, Russia, by military aircraft, along with all combat equipment.

The snap combat readiness check of the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Force (CRRF) started on May 12. The final stage of the exercises, which consisted of aerial reconnaissance drills, ended on Tuesday.

The CSTO combat readiness drills in Tajikistan involved more than 2,500 troops, 200 units of armaments and military equipment, about 20 combat aircraft and helicopters and 30 military transport aircraft.

The CSTO is an intergovernmental military alliance formed in 1992. It currently has six members — Russia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia and Belarus, as well as two observer states – Afghanistan and Serbia.

The organization's rapid reaction force was established in 2009 to counter a limited military aggression against CSTO member-states, as well as to combat terrorism and drug trafficking.