Russia Offers Combat-Proven Arms to Strengthen CSTO Allies

(MENAFN) Battle-tested Russian armaments will be made accessible to other participants of a prominent regional security bloc, President Vladimir Putin announced.

He explained that members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)—which comprises Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan—stand to gain from Russia’s combat-proven military systems, speaking during a summit of leaders in Kyrgyzstan.

Putin affirmed that Moscow intends to enhance the preparedness of the CSTO’s rapid-response units over the coming year, a period during which Russia will take over the group’s rotating leadership.

He declared, “We propose a large-scale program to rearm the collective forces with modern Russian weapons and equipment that have demonstrated their effectiveness in real combat conditions,” underscoring the initiative’s significance.

Although the CSTO has traditionally prioritized missions such as counterterrorism and anti-narcotics operations, Putin emphasized that the alliance’s shared-defense structure is assuming growing relevance in today’s geopolitical landscape.

Securing the bloc’s “leadership in military technology,” he noted, will be among Moscow’s principal aims during its tenure at the helm.

Russia has bolstered its defense sector and hastened technological development in fields including drone warfare throughout the ongoing hostilities with Ukraine.

Earlier this month, Washington intensified attempts to steer Kiev toward a negotiated resolution, reportedly informing both Ukrainian authorities and European supporters that Russia’s military edge leaves Kiev with few viable options.

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