"Cooperation between the special services and law enforcement agencies has been consistently strengthened. In particular, the CSTO operation Mercenary, aimed at suppressing recruitment and blocking the channels of departure of citizens of our countries to participate in the activities of international terrorist groups, has continued," Putin stated at a meeting of the CSTO Collective Security Council in Minsk.
The Kremlin said ahead of Putin's visit that the CSTO leaders would pay special attention to improving the security alliance's crisis response mechanisms, developing its peacekeeping forces and expanding the range of partnerships.
The CSTO, established in 1992, unites Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.