MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th August, 2021) The border of Afghanistan with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan is controlled by the Taliban movement (recognized as terrorist and banned in Russia), it is important for Russia that the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) be ready for possible infiltration of terrorists from Afghanistan, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday.
"It is important for us that the border with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan has also been taken under the control of the Taliban. All the checkpoints and the threats that came from Afghanistan earlier are drug trafficking, this is the penetration of terrorists into our country through Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and of course, [these threats] do not diminish," Shoigu said at the Territory of Meanings youth forum.
"Therefore, it is extremely important for us that our colleagues, our allies, our partners in the CSTO be ready for this. Of course, we are doing everything for this," the minister added.
Russia has military bases in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, Shoigu recalled.
"Most of the officers of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan are trained in our higher educational institutions. We are also engaged in the modernization of the army of Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan. In Tajikistan, we have the 201st base, there is also a base in Kyrgyzstan," he said.
