Belarus to host CSTO exercise on counteracting biological threats

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) will hold Belarus-initiated exercise on countering biological threats in Belarus in early September, Chief of the CSTO Joint Staff Anatoly Sidorov told a briefing on 28 August, BelTA has learned.

The Barrier 2023 special exercise involving the CSTO radiation, chemical and biological protection and medical support unit will take place at the Brestsky military training area. “This is a new component of the CSTO troops (collective forces) and this Belarus-initiated exercise will be held for the first with an aim to contribute to the development and improvement of this area,” Anatoly Sidorov emphasized.

According to him, the exercise envisages interaction with national bodies authorized to respond to large-scale and rapid spreads of dangerous infectious diseases. The exercise will also feature the following activities: biological reconnaissance of the area of concentration, sampling and examination of the personnel of the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Force units by a joint analytical team of the Defense Ministry and the Healthcare Ministry; deployment of a special treatment point, evacuation of the sick to medical facilities of the Armed Forces and the Healthcare Ministry; delivery and examination of samples, sending samples to regional and national sanitary and epidemiological laboratories; elimination of the biological hotbed of disease; and special treatment of the contaminated area.