CSTO ready to send “peacekeepers” to Ukraine

A decision can be taken by the Collective Security Council.

The “peacekeeping” forces of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) are ready to go to Ukraine, RIA Novosti cites CSTO General Secretary Nikolai Bordzyuzha as saying on Friday.

“The peacekeeping forces of the CSTO were formed several years ago and have undergone military preparation. The military personnel in its ranks are well-prepared in individual relations and equipped with all the needed military and technical means. They are ready to participate in peacekeeping operations of any caliber, as was confirmed by the results of recent joint drills in the Republic of Kyrgyszstan,” Nikolai Bordyuzha said answering the question about the possible use peacekeepers in Eastern Ukraine.

He underlined that the possibility of using the CSTO peacekeeping forces was in the jurisdiction of the Collective Security Council, the CSTO's supreme body consisting of the heads of member states. Peacekeeping forces can be deployed both in and outside the member countries on a joint decision of the heads of state and in compliance with acting agreements.

The CSTO members approved and signed a draft decision on forming the Collective Rapid Response Forces (CRRF) on February 4, 2009. They are supposed to be used to “repulse military aggression, conduct anti-terrorist operations, fight transnational crime and drug trafficking and neutralize the effects of natural disasters”. Belarusian opposition leaders condemned the agreement on forming the CSTO CRRF calling them punitive forces that will defend CIS dictators. The formation of the forces conflicts with the country's neutral status and the Belarusian Constitution.