Minsk reported Poland’s likely refusal to send observers to CSTO exercises

Poland most likely will not send its observers to the exercises of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which will be held in Belarus from September 1 to 6. This was announced by Assistant Minister of Defense of Belarus Valery Revenko on his account in X (formerly Twitter).

“Preliminary, representatives of Poland refuse to observe the exercises “Combat Brotherhood-2023”. Previously, they did not invite Belarusian observers to their Dragoon 2021 and Anaconda 2023 exercises,” he wrote.

CSTO exercises “Combat Brotherhood – 2023” will pass from September 1 to September 6 at the training grounds and “sites” of the Brest, Grodno and Minsk regions. It is planned to conduct several types of exercises that combine the training of various components of the CSTO collective forces.

The organization clarified that the contingents of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan will take part in the exercises. More than 2,500 military personnel and over 500 pieces of equipment will be involved in the events. The CSTO Secretary General Imangali Tasmagambetov will be present at the opening of the exercises.

The purpose of the exercises in the CSTO was called “improving the coordination and coherence of the work of command and control bodies in the course of preparing and conducting a joint operation.” Also, the task is to form “high morale and combat qualities, psychological stamina and physical endurance among military personnel.”