MOSCOW, September 28. /TASS/. Reconnaissance groups of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) have refined their skills in various reconnaissance methods at the Chebarkul range during the Search 2026 joint special exercise, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

"Reconnaissance teams have begun drills in the designated areas within the Search 2026 special exercise of CSTO reconnaissance assets at the Chebarkul range. The Search 2026 special exercise focuses on the organization and conduct of reconnaissance by the forces and assets of reconnaissance agencies during the containment of a cross-border armed conflict," it said.

While carrying out their mission to detect a simulated enemy, the military personnel used reconnaissance and strike FPV drones and directed artillery and air strikes to destroy the identified targets. "At the same time, reconnaissance control bodies collect, analyze and summarize the obtained data and relay them to the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Force command, applying the 'detect and engage' principle," the ministry added.

The Russian Defense Ministry reported on September 27 that the Interaction 2026, Search 2026, and Echelon 2026 joint maneuvers of the CSTO member states’ forces began at the Chebarkul range. Military personnel from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan are taking part in the exercises. These include military contingents, special forces’ units of internal affairs bodies, security agencies and special services, authorized bodies in the sphere of emergencies prevention and relief, as well as task groups of the CSTO Joint Staff and Secretariat.