The State Committee for National Security with the support of the CIS Anti-Terrorism Center conducted the final stage of the joint anti-terrorist exercise of the competent authorities of the CIS member-states Commonwealth-Antiterror – 2025 on October 24, 2025 in the Republic of Tajikistan. 

A special feature of this exercise was a combination of its operational capabilities display stage with the final stage of the exercise of the CSTO Peacekeeping Forces Indestructible Brotherhood. This made it possible, for the first time in modern practice of international cooperation between law enforcement agencies in the common theater of operations, to consistently solve the task of neutralizing terrorist threats by special forces of the CIS countries and concluded it with the CSTO peacekeeping operation.

Competent authorities of seven CIS member-states (Republic of Armenia, Republic of Belarus, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Russian Federation, Republic of Tajikistan, Republic of Uzbekistan) took part in the exercise; 

The first stage of the exercise took place from 7 to 9 October this year when the competent authorities of the CIS member states worked out scenario events in the national territories to identify and detain simulated terrorist groups planning to commit terrorist acts on critical infrastructure facilities and crowded places.

During the first stage, a Coordination Headquarters was deployed at the CIS ATC, which assisted in carrying out measures to localize terrorist threats. 44 scenario events were successfully worked out, more than 250 checks were made against records of the CIS collective use information systems, and 29 simulated terrorists were identified and detained.

As part of the second stage of the exercise Commonwealth-Antiterror – 2025, special units of the State Committee for National Security of the Republic of Tajikistan under the control of the Republican Operational Headquarters conducted an anti-terrorist operation aimed to release hostages and neutralize terrorists on a hijacked civilian aircraft and in an administrative building, and the EMERCOM units carried out activities to mitigate and manage the consequences of terrorist acts.

Upon completion of the operational capabilities display stage of exercise Commonwealth-Antiterror – 2025, the law enforcement agencies of the Republic of Tajikistan conducted a special operation to block and destroy large illegal armed terrorist groups as part of the final stage of the exercise of the CSTO Peacekeeping Forces Indestructible Brotherhood – 2025.

The implemented measures showed high cohesion and readiness of the law enforcement agencies of the Republic of Tajikistan to carry out tasks to suppress acts of terrorism in a difficult operational environment, and the CSTO Peacekeeping Forces demonstrated their readiness to fulfill peace-keeping tasks in the region of collective security.

The joint anti-terrorism exercises represent a key component in the system of practical co-operation of special services of the CIS states. The exercises offer an opportunity to gain experience of planning, preparation and conduct of joint anti-terrorism operations, master the forms and methods of coordinated actions aimed to identify and prevent terrorist attacks. The Republic of Tajikistan hosted the exercise for the third time. Exercise Commonwealth-Antiterror – 2025 became the twenty-first among the exercises conducted under the auspices of the CIS Anti-Terrorism Center.

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The State Security Service of the Republic of Uzbekistan with the support of the Commonwealth of Independent States Anti-Terrorism Center conducted the second and third stages (operational capabilities display stage) of the joint antiterrorism exercise of the competent authorities of the CIS member-states “East-Antiterror – 2024” in the Republic of Uzbekistan on September 5, 2024.

The purpose of the exercise was:

To improve actions of the competent authorities of the CIS member-states in conducting joint operations aimed to identify and prevent terrorist attacks, neutralize terrorist threats to security at the internal and external borders of the CIS member-states, counteract cyber terrorism and financing of terrorism;

To exchange best practices in conducting combat operations aimed to release hostages and neutralize terrorists at the critical facilities and crowded places, as well as a special military operation to block and eliminate illegal armed terrorist formations;

To improve professional training of the units of competent authorities of the CIS member-states.

Competent authorities of 7 CIS states, including Republic of Armenia, Republic of Belarus, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Russian Federation, Republic of Tajikistan and Republic of Uzbekistan, participated in the exercise.

The first stage took place from 27 to 29 August this year when the competent authorities of the CIS member-states at their national territories mastered training tasks covering identification and detention of the simulated terrorist groups which plan to commit terrorist attacks on the critical facilities and crowded places.

The first stage featured deployment of the Coordination center at the base of the CIS ATC which rendered assistance in conducting operations aimed to localize terrorist threats. 52 training scenarios have been successfully practiced, more than 280 checks have been made against the CIS collective information systems, 25 simulated terrorists have been detained.

The second and third stages of the exercise “East-Antiterror – 2024” included conduct under the control of the Republican joint operation headquarters of:

an anti-terrorism operation by the SSS special units, Ministry of Interior and National Guard of the Republic of Uzbekistan aimed to release hostages and neutralize simulated terrorists who captured a hotel building, practice actions to prevent mass unrests;

an operation by the units of the Ministry of Interior, Emercom and Ministry of Health aimed to liquidate and minimize consequences of a terrorist attack;

a military operation by the units of the SSS Border troops and Ministry of Defense of the Republic aimed to block and eliminate gangs which attacked a border post and penetrated through a state border, to neutralize terrorist groups which plan an attack on one of the power facilities of the Republic.

The maneuvers of the operational capabilities display stage have demonstrated efficient actions of the forces and means of the competent authorities of the Republic of Uzbekistan, cohesion of actions of the units of all ministries and agencies which participated in solving crisis situations.

Exercise “East-Antiterror – 2024” featured new elements including operations aimed to identify and prevent trans-border movement of terrorist-fighters, provide cyber-security of critical infrastructure facilities and countering financing of terrorism, including with use of crypto-currencies.

Joint anti-terrorism exercise is an important component of the system of practical coordinated actions of the special services of the Commonwealth states. The exercise allows for gaining experience of planning, preparing and conducting joint anti-terrorism measures, practicing forms and methods of the coordinated actions aimed to identify and suppress terrorist attacks. They have been for the first time conducted in the Republic of Uzbekistan.

JATE “East-Antiterror – 2024” has become the twentieth in the row of the drills carried out under the auspices of the CIS Anti-Terrorism Center, among them 6 were accomplished with participation of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The State Committee of National Security with the support of the CIS Anti-Terrorism Center and Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of Shanghai Cooperation Organization conducted a final stage (with use of force) of the anti-terrorism drills of the competent authorities of the CIS and SCO member-states “Eurasia-Antiterror - 2023” in the Kyrgyz Republic on September 21, 2023.

For the first time ever, the drills were carried out within the framework of cooperation of two international organizations and envisaged simultaneous exercise of individual training tasks unified by a joint concept and situation as well as by the place and time of their conduct.

The drills were aimed to:

improve activity of the competent authorities of the CIS and SCO member-states during coordinated operational-search operations aimed to identify and suppress terrorist attacks on critical infrastructure facilities and crowded places;

exchange best practices of operational-combat operations aimed to release hostages and neutralize terrorists in the critical infrastructure facilities and crowded places;

build an advanced efficient model of cooperation of the CIS ATC and SCO RATS EC, practically implement mechanisms of information exchange to assist the CIS and SCO competent authorities during coordinated operations aimed to identify and suppress terrorist attacks in preparation.

The drills were attended by the competent authorities of 11 states of the CIS and SCO, including Republic of Armenia, Republic of Belarus, Republic of India, Islamic Republic of Iran, Republic of Kazakhstan, People’s Republic of China, Kyrgyz Republic, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Russian Federation, Republic of Tajikistan and Republic of Uzbekistan.

The first stages of the drills took place from 1 July to 1 August and from 12 to 14 September with participation of the competent authorities of the SCO and CIS member-states. The first stages included mastering of identification and apprehension of simulated terrorist groups which planned to commit terrorist attacks on critical infrastructure facilities and crowded places in the national territories and use of collective information systems for that purpose. Information exchange on the simulated terrorists between the CIS ATC coordination HQ and SCO RATS Executive Committee was successfully implemented.

During the second stage of the “Eurasia-Antiterror - 2023” drills the forces of the State Committee of National Security, Ministry of Interior and Sentence-Execution Service at the Ministry of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic carried out a counter-terrorist operation aimed to release hostages and neutralize terrorists on three facilities (TPS gas station, transport facility and correctional facility of Bishkek).

The counter-terrorist operation planning and management work of the republican operational headquarters was demonstrated. The EMERCOM units carried out post-attack recovery and mitigation measures.

The maneuvers have demonstrated efficient use of forces and means by the competent authorities of the Kyrgyz Republic, cohesiveness of the units of the ministries and agencies which took part in resolving a crisis situation.

In conclusion of the drills the heads of delegations have noted that their conduct became an important step toward integrating efforts and strengthening anti-terrorism capacities of the CIS and SCO member-states

Drill subject: "Detection and suppression of activity of international terrorist organizations at the stage of preparation for a terrorist attack at marine infrastructure and oil-gas industry facilities".

Caspian-Antiterror ‑ 2021 joint anti-terrorism drill of the competent authorities of the CIS member-states was conducted in two stages with the coordinating role of the CIS Anti-Terrorism Center and was aimed to improve readiness of the CIS security agencies, special services and other law-enforcement authorities to jointly counter terrorist challenges and threats.

Special services of eight member-states, including Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan took part in the drill. During the first stage of the drill conducted from 23 to 26 August, 2021 the competent authorities of the participating states with the support of the Coordinating HQ at CIS ATC carried out operations against objects of mutual operational interest.

The participating units mastered algorithms of coordination during conduct of concerted operational search activities to identify and neutralize individuals preparing terrorist attacks at marine and oil-gas industry facilities of the CIS states.

The first stage of the drill covered over 50 simulated scenarios, the special services checked 155 individuals suspected in terrorist activity. As a result all members of the simulated terrorist groups were apprehended in the territory of the Commonwealth states, the potential terrorist attacks were prevented, criminal links were established and instruments of crime were seized.

The second stage of the drill conducted on September 2, 2021 in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan under the leadership of the republican operational HQ offered a possibility master organization of assets and capabilities planning as well as maintenance of stable and continuous management of command and control elements and units during anti-terrorism activities.

Units of A special forces and border guard of the NSC, Berkut unit of the National guard, Sunkar unit of the Ministry of Interior, special operation forces of Kazakh MoD with the support of the Special operations center of the Russian FSB demonstrated practical actions aimed to detect, block and neutralize groups of simulated terrorists, as well as to release hostages at the hijacked Каnysh Satpayev ship and a drilling rig in the open sea.

The Kazakh Emercom units demonstrated their skills to mitigate consequences of a terrorist attack. The drill mission has been accomplished. The drill leaders commended actions of all participating units.

They stressed the need to continue the practice of such activities, expressed commitment to further strengthen international cooperation and interaction to jointly fight on terrorism, maintain peace and security in the region.

Subject of the exercise: "Detection of signs of preparation to terrorist attacks on fuel and energy complex facilities and their prevention under conditions of increased activity of international terrorist organization in the territory of the CIS member-states".

The exercise allowed for mastering algorithms of joint actions of the competent authorities of the Commonwealth states (Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan) during coordinated operational-investigative operations aimed to detect signs of preparation to terrorist attacks on the FEC facilities.

The participants with the support of the Coordination Staff at the CIS ATC solved the tasks of identification of ITO fighters, prevention and suppression of anticipated terrorist attacks on the FEC and other critical infrastructure facilities of the Commonwealth states, identification of an underground terror network, location and detention of simulated ITO fighters.

Assets employment planning and maintenance of sustainable and continuous control of authorities and units during anti-terrorism activities were mastered under the command of the Armenian republican operations center.

Algorithms of efficient interaction between the units of different agencies of the Republic of Armenia aimed to prevent a terrorist attack on critical infrastructure facilities were detailed and updated.

Following the results of the “Ararat-Antiterror-2019” exercise the executives of the Armenian NSS and CIS Anti-Terrorism Center praised the actions of all involved units. The exercise mission was accomplished.

Subject of the exercise: "Organization and conduct of coordinated intelligence-search operations aimed to identify and prevent activity of "sleeper cells" of international terrorist organizations. Conduct of operational combat actions under a joint special anti-terrorism operation intended to prevent terrorist attacks on transport facilities and a tactical operation carried out to eliminate terrorist illegal armed formations in the border zone".

During the first stage on 4 - 6 September the units of security agencies and intelligence services of the involved states with the coordinating role of the CIS Anti-Terrorism Center (CIS ATC) mastered algorithms of coordinated actions to identify "sleeper cells" of ITO with the purpose to prevent and suppress the terrorist attacks under preparation, close channels of illegal arms, ammunition and explosives trafficking.

The second stage on 25 September involved an anti-terrorism operation conducted in the international airport Issyk-Kul under command of State Committee of National Security of the Kyrgyz Republic (KR SCNS) to compel to land an aircraft hijacked by simulated terrorists, to neutralize them, to release hostages with use of special units of KR SCNS and Interior Ministry. The KR EMERCOM units carried out a mission to minimise terrorist attack consequences.

The third stage of the exercise (on 26 September) was organized at the military range Edelweiss of the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic where a joint task force of the Kyrgyz Armed Forces and Central Military District of the Russian Armed Forces carried out a tactical operation to block and eliminate large armed terrorist formations. For that purpose in order to reinforce military units of the Kyrgyz Armed Forces involved in the anti-terrorism operation, mobile command posts, tactical military units, reconnaissance units equipped with UAVs, airborne troops, rocket and artillery units were redeployed from the Central Military District of the RF Armed Forces to the exercise area. The air support of the tactical units was provided by the aviation group and involved strategic aviation of the Russian Armed Forces.

The base camp of the simulated terrorists was destroyed with Iskander-M tactical ballistic missile system which had been moved to the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic from the Central Military District in advance.

Totally the tactical anti-terrorism operation involved more than 1,400 troops and 200 pieces of equipment, including 28 aircraft and helicopters, out of them 4 aircraft of strategic aviation (Tu-95MS and Tu-22M3).

The exercise was conducted in two stages in the territory of six member-states, namely Republic of Armenia, Republic of Belarus, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Russian Federation and Republic of Tajikistan.

During the first stage (from 23 to 26 May) the security agencies and intelligence services of the above countries, under the aegis and with the coordinating role of the CIS Anti-Terrorism Centre, conducted coordinated operational-search operations aimed at identification and prevention of extremist and recruiting activity of the international terrorist organizations.

The situation was shifted to higher gear by introducing scenarios involving practical use of collective-use information systems of the security agencies, intelligence services and law enforcement authorities of the CIS member-states as well as dactyloscopic software-hardware stations.

To synchronize joint practical efforts, a Coordination Headquarters at the CIS ATC was established for the period of the first stage of the exercise.

Representatives of the Secretariat of the Council of the Defence Ministers, Coordination Service of the Commanders of the Border Forces, Council of the Heads of Financial Intelligence Units, Office for the Coordination of the Fight Against Organized Crime and Other Dangerous Types of Crime on the Territory of CIS member-states were included into the Headquarters for better efficiency and response in use of the available information capacities while carrying out training missions of the first stage of the exercise.

A hostage-release and terrorist-neutralization operation at the republican TV-centre was conducted within the second stage of the exercise from 31 May to 1 June by special units of the Tajikistan's State National Security Committee with the support of special units of the Ministry of Interior and Interior troops. The EMERCOM units of the Republic of Tajikistan carried out a mission to minimise terrorist attack consequences.

A tactical operation to block and eliminate large armed terrorist groups which have penetrated Afghan-Tajikistan state border took place at the Lyaur training ground of the Russian 201st military base and Kharb-Maydon range of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Tajikistan. A united military group coordinated by the CIS ATC was established to perform this mission. It included units of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Tajikistan and Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation.

Mobile control posts, units of army, operational-tactical and unmanned aviation, missile troops and artillery, as well as special and airborne troops were redeployed from the Central military district of the Russian Armed Forces to reinforce the Russian 201st military base deployed in Tajikistan.

More than 2000 troops and 300 units of equipment including 30 aircraft and helicopters took part in the tactical exercise. It was for the first time that Iskander-M tactical ballistic missile system specially moved to Tajikistan in advance was engaged outside of Russia to strike a base camp of the simulated terrorists.

The conducted manoeuvres demonstrated a joint readiness of the uniformed services of the Commonwealth states to beat off terrorist manifestations and became a large-scale preventive operation.

Senior executives of the security agencies, intelligence service, anti-terrorism units of the CIS member-states, Commonwealth statutory institutions and bodies of the branch cooperation as well as SCO RATS Executive Committee, CSTO and OSCE attended the exercise in the observer capacity.

The exercise was conducted in two stages in the territory of five member-states, namely Republic of Armenia, Republic of Belarus, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic and Russian Federation.

During the first stage (23 to 25 May 2016) units of the security agencies and special services of the above states under the leadership of the coordination HQ of the CIS Anti-Terrorism Center carried out coordinated operational-search operations aimed to identify and prevent cyber-terrorist acts.

The units successfully solved the tasks to detect and prevent computer Ddos-attacks on a key infrastructure facility; prevented an attempt to destabilize its control system through implementation of malicious software (type CryptoLocker) and simultaneously apprehended manoeuvre cyber-terrorists.

On 1 June 2016, in the course of the second stage of the Cyber Anti-Terror 2016 exercise, special units of the State Security Committee, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defense and State Border Committee of the Republic of Belarus conducted a counter-terrorist hostage-release and manoeuvre terrorist group neutralization operation at the key energy infrastructure facility (Lukoml Power Station).

The EMERCOM units of the Republic of Belarus made arrangements to minimise the consequences. Within the counter-terrorist operation the special units for the first time demonstrated such tactical techniques as isolation and neutralization of criminals on the lake, employment of helicopters by groups using special weapons and snipers, blocking of a moving locomotive engine and its assault.

Once again a terrorist attack response state system developed in the Republic of Belarus was tested and interfaced with similar systems of the Commonwealth member-states. The joint anti-terrorism exercises represent a key component in the system of practical co-operation of the CIS states. Their main purpose is to enhance readiness of the security bodies, special services and other law-enforcement agencies of the CIS member-states to jointly counteract terrorist challenges and threats.

The Provision on the procedure of organization and conduct of joint anti-terrorist operations in the territory of the CIS member-states and the Program of cooperation of the CIS member-states in combating terrorism and other violent manifestations of extremism adopted for a 3-year period constitute the legal ground for conducting the exercises in the CIS.

Subject of the exercise: organization and conduct of search operations to identify sabotage-terrorist group. Conduct of joint anti-terrorism operations to suppress terrorist acts at the transport and crowded facilities. Conduct of a tactical operation to eliminate an armed gang. Liquidation of the consequences of a terrorist act committed with use of the radioactive material.

Subject of the exercise: organization of cooperation of the competent authorities of the CIS member-states in prevention and suppression of a terrorist act at the transport and crowded facilities. Improvement of control during the counter-terrorism operation aimed at hostage rescue and neutralization of terrorists, elimination of armed gangs in populated places and elimination of consequences of a terrorist act committed with use of toxic agents.

Subject of the exercise: conduct of joint anti-terrorism operations to identify, prevent and suppress terrorist acts at the crowded facilities in the territory of the CIS member-states. Containment of mass disorders and liquidation of terrorist act consequences.

Subject of the exercise: organization and conduct of search operations and special operations to identify and prevent activity of international terrorist organization members.

Subject of the exercise: organization and conduct of search operations to identify sabotage-terrorist group. Conduct of a special hostage-release and terrorist-neutralization operation at the ecologically dangerous spacecraft launch preparation site.

Subject of the exercise: preparation and conduct of a special (anti-terrorism) hostage-release and terrorist-neutralization operation at a sea transport facility.

Subject of the exercise: preparation and conduct of joint anti-terrorism operations in the territory of the CIS member-states under aggravation of the military-political situation. 

Subject of the exercise: preparation and conduct of joint counter-terrorism operations in the territory of the CIS member-states by special anti-terrorism formations of the security agencies and special services of the Commonwealth states.