Russia was ‘compelled’ to launch Oreshnik missile at Ukraine, CSTO secretary general says
Russia was compelled to use the Oreshnik missile system against Ukraine, said Imangali Tasmagambetov, secretary general of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), in an interview with the TASS news agency.
Tasmagambetov outlined the key topics to be addressed by the heads of member states during the CSTO meeting on Nov. 28 in Astana. These include strengthening the Afghan-Tajik border, the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, the exchange of missile strikes involving ATACMS and Oreshnik systems, and preparations for the commemoration of the victory in the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945).
«First of all, an exchange of views on the military and political situation in the regions of collective security and on their borders is expected,» Tasmagambetov said. «Within the framework of the Collective Security Treaty, the provision of aid, including military assistance, occurs at the request of a member country itself. As you know, this provision of the treaty has already been enacted before. At this time, no such request has been received from Russia.»
When asked whether the CSTO would examine and assess Russia’s use of the Oreshnik missile system in Ukraine, Tasmagambetov confirmed that it would.
«The CSTO is studying the experience of using and testing all modern arms and their development prospects. This is an indivisible component of our work. We are also analyzing together the international situation where Russia was compelled to carry out the trials of this new missile system,» he noted.
Tasmagambetov added that it is currently impossible to predict the actions of the new U.S. administration under Donald Trump regarding the resumption of relations between the U.S. and the CSTO.
«When politicians and government officials advocate for an honest international dialogue and equal cooperation, they can only be applauded. It remains to be seen what position the future U.S. administration will adopt. The CSTO has not severed contact on its own initiative,» he concluded.
Last year, the CSTO’s chief noted that the lack of information security regulations poses a potential regional threat to the organization. He also identified competition for resources as another pressing issue in the region.
