Russia will not ask the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) for help regarding the unexpected incursion of Ukrainian military forces into the Kursk region of Russia, according to Gazeta.ru, citing Konstantin Zatulin, first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots.
«No, we won’t request military assistance. It would be very strange if Russia, the key country in the CSTO, asked someone for help within its own territory. Who are you going to ask for help in the Kursk region? The Kazakhs or the Armenians? Who? Your questions are stupid!» Zatulin told the media outlet correspondent.
Combat actions have been occurring in the Kursk region since the early morning of August 6, following the incursion by Ukrainian military forces.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that many civilian buildings were damaged due to the incursion. In turn, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia should get a taste of its own medicine. U.S. and EU officials have expressed their support for Ukraine, asserting that, after the Russian invasion, the country has the right to counter the aggressor on its territory as well.
The CSTO includes six member states: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. Kazakhstan was the first country to request collective assistance during the uprising in January 2022.
