Russia-led security bloc holds drills in Armenia

ArmInfo News Agency (in Russian), Armenia
Aug 22 2008

Russia-led security bloc holds drills in Armenia

The final fourth part of the Collective Security Treaty Organization
(CSTO) joint military exercise – Rubezh (Frontier) 2008 – has been
held in Armenia. About 2,500 servicemen, including 1,392 Armenian
troops and 1,106 Russian troops, took part in the exercise at the
Marshal Baghramyan shooting range, Armenian news agency Arminfo
reported on 22 August.

CSTO Secretary-General Nikolay Bordyuzha, Armenian Defence Minister
Seyran Ohanyan, heads of the Armenian security agencies, as well as
the military attaches of the USA, UK, China, Iran and other embassies
watched the exercise, Arminfo said.

Bordyuzha and Ohanyan told a news conference on 22 August they were
satisfied with the results of the drills. Bordyuzha said the exercise
had demonstrated that the organization was capable of defending the
member states from any aggression.

The CSTO has six members: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.