The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is beginning its Grom military exercises on Thursday to be followed by the Poisk and Vzaimodeistviye drills, TASS reported quoting CSTO Deputy Secretary General Valery Semerikov.

"In early October, we will hold the Poisk exercises where our reconnaissance units will accomplish their missions. In Armenia, we will hold the Vzaimodeistviye exercises with the Collective Rapid Reaction Force on October 10-13. We will complete this cycle with the military drills in Kazakhstan," he said.

Semerikov stressed that these exercises are planned.

"These are planned drills. They were endorsed last year in the joint operations plan. These are planned events unrelated to the current international situation," he said.