Putin Offers to Rearm Former Soviet States With Battle-Proven Russian Weapons

Vladimir Putin proposed launching a large-scale program to equip the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) forces with modern Russian weapons that demonstrated their effectiveness in real military operations. He made this statement during an expanded meeting of the CSTO Collective Security Council.

Plan for Strengthening CSTO Military Potential

“We propose launching a large-scale program to arm the collective forces with modern Russian weapons and equipment that proved their effectiveness during real combat operations,” Putin said.

According to the Russian president, the plan includes organizing a series of joint activities to train military units and special service divisions. He emphasized that Russia will continue close cooperation with its allies on all matters related to strengthening the CSTO’s military capabilities.

“We will concentrate our main efforts on improving the combat readiness of national contingents and enhancing the command structure of the collective forces,” he added.

The CSTO summit opened on 27 November in Bishkek. Putin has been in Kyrgyzstan since 25 November on a three-day visit.

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Putin stressed that Moscow will work to preserve continuity across key areas of CSTO cooperation and strengthen collaboration among member states “based on genuine alliance, friendship, and good neighborliness, respect for each other’s interests, mutual support, and shared responsibility.” He made these remarks while opening the expanded meeting of the CSTO Collective Security Council.

Battle-Tested Weapons Highlight Russia’s Military Contributions

Russia has repeatedly used advanced new weapons during hostilities in Ukraine. Among them are the “Kinzhal” hypersonic aero-ballistic missiles and the “Oreshnik” missile system. To repel missile strikes, forces employed the “Pantsir” air-defense system. The “Iskander-M” tactical missile system and “Geran-2” drones were also engaged in combat.

At the summit in Bishkek, Putin said the CSTO reliably ensures security and stability across the Eurasian region. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko noted at the same event that the organization must constantly adapt to evolving security challenges and threats.

Details

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Russian: Организация Договора о коллективной безопасности (ОДКБ), romanized: Organizatsiya dogovora o kollektivnoy bezopasnosti (ODKB) is an intergovernmental military alliance in Eurasia consisting of six post-Soviet states: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. The Collective Security Treaty has its origins in the Soviet Armed Forces, which was replaced in 1992 by the United Armed Forces of the Commonwealth of Independent States, and was then itself replaced by the successor armed forces of the respective independent states. Former members of the CSTO military alliance were Azerbaijan, Georgia and Uzbekistan. Similar to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty and the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance, Article 4 of the Collective Security Treaty (CST) establishes that an aggression against one signatory would be perceived as an aggression against all.