MOSCOW. May 16 (Interfax-AVN) - The Collective Rapid Deployment Forces in Central Asia will conduct a six-day large- scale tactical exercise with live firing in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan in mid-June, a spokesman for the CIS military cooperation coordination headquarters told Interfax-Military News Agency on Thursday.
In line with a decision of defense ministers of the Collective Security Treaty member-states, Volga-Ural military district commander Colonel General Alexander Baranov will supervise the exercise.
Participants in the exercise will practice aspects of combat and operational training, ways of the forces' application in emergency situations in Central Asia, and interaction with reinforcement means.
The war games will involve four battalions that Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have delegated to the forces. The headquarters of the forces will also be involved. The final stage of the exercise will feature live firing within companies.
The Collective Rapid Deployment Forces were established on May 25, 2001, in line with a decision of the presidents of Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, which are signatories to the Collective Security Treaty (now Collective Security Treaty Organization). The forces comprise four battalions stationed in the territories of their home countries. Only the Russian battalion organic to the 201st motorized rifle division is stationed in Tajikistan. The total strength of the forces amounts to about 13,000 servicemen. They are under command of Major General Sergei Chernomordin.