This year, Belarus will host a drill for rescue units of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member nations.

Belarusian Emergencies Minister Vadim Sinyavsky told BelTA on January 19 that the drill, dubbed Rock-2023, is aimed at enhancing coherence and coordination of joint actions in response to complex emergencies.  

The emergencies minister added that within the framework of rotating chairmanship of Belarus in the Organization the work will be done to improve efficiency of operational management in emergency situations.  

“In particular, we are talking about improving the interaction between the national crisis situation management centers, improving their technical and technological opportunities,” Sinyavsky was cited as saying by BelTA.  

Meanwhile, TASS, citing First Deputy Secretary of the Belarusian Security Council Pavel Muraveiko, reported on January15 that three out of CSTO’s four drills planned for 2023 will be conducted in Belarus.   

"As for defense aspects, it is planned to conduct three out of four annual drills of the Organization in our country.  These are the drills of collective rapid response forces, drills of reconnaissance units, and drills of logistics and rear units.  They will be held in our country in September," he said in an interview with STV television channel.

Belarus has taken over rotating chairmanship in the Organization this year.  According to Muraveiko, Belarus plans to organize an international conference on Eurasian security in 2023.  

"Much attention will be focused on the development of the Organization’s information and analytical sphere because today, who owns the information, he owns the world.  That is why it will be in focus and it will also be among the priorities of our presidency," he stressed.

The Collective Security Treaty Organization includes Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.