MOSCOW (Reuters) – The Russia-led CSTO security bloc will hold exercises involving its rapid deployment forces in Kyrgyzstan on Sept. 1-9, the RIA news agency cited Kyrgyzstan’s foreign ministry as saying on Monday.
The drills are set to take place after the U.S. exit of troops from Afghanistan and the Taliban’s lightning takeover there have created a security headache for Russia in the region.
(Reporting by Maxim Rodionov; writing by Tom Balmforth; Editing by Catherine Evans)