Russia and Uzbekistan launch joint drill near Afghan border to counter terror threats
A seven-day military exercise between Russian and Uzbek forces, called “Cooperation-2026,” has begun at the Termez military range near the border with Afghanistan.
In the drills, mountain troops together with reconnaissance and combat drones and Mi-24 attack helicopters are practising scenarios for detecting and destroying illegal armed groups in border areas. The exercise is being held to improve operational coordination against cross-border threats.
Russian forces, equipped with advanced hardware, travelled more than 300 kilometres through mountainous areas of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to reach the Termez firing range, where they will establish themselves and prepare the technical readiness and serviceability of their equipment for the active phase of the exercise.
According to the schedule, the drill will continue from October 20 to October 27, and uses advanced technologies including drones and ground robotic systems to train operations in conditions similar to Afghanistan’s mountainous regions.
The Termez military range is of high security importance for Russia and Uzbekistan because of its proximity to unstable areas in northern Afghanistan. Russian officials have repeatedly warned of growing threats from terrorist groups in Afghan territory and the possibility of their infiltration into neighbouring countries.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov recently said that these groups have training camps in Afghanistan’s border areas with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Security experts believe the exercises reflect Moscow and Tashkent’s efforts to strengthen preparedness against terrorist and security threats in the region.
