Russia says Center-2026 drills focus on deploying foreign contingents
In short
Russia’s Deputy Defence Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov reported to President Vladimir Putin on the Center-2026 exercises at the Chebarkulsky range in the Chelyabinsk region, saying attention was focused on organising, stationing and using foreign contingents. The drills are coupled with the CSTO’s Interaction-2026 exercise and involve 47,000 servicemen, including more than 2,000 who took part in the special military operation, according to Kommersant. TASS also reported that Peskov disclosed the intent of the exercises, without giving details in the material available.
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Russia’s Deputy Defence Minister, Army General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, reported to President Vladimir Putin on the progress of the Center-2026 exercises at the Chebarkulsky range in the Chelyabinsk region, Kommersant reported. He said particular attention was being paid to organising, stationing and employing the forces of foreign contingents. [ 1 ]
Yevkurov said the ministry was practising organisation at command posts during deployment and preparation, stationing in concentration areas and the use of small tactical groups. “Our foreign colleagues showed their skill in all three of these areas, and of course we are passing on to them the experience of the special military operation,” he was quoted as saying. [ 1 ]
The drills are coupled with the Interaction-2026 command-staff exercise held together with the Collective Security Treaty Organization countries. In total 47,000 servicemen are taking part, including more than 2,000 who have served in the special military operation. New equipment for countering drones was also put through its paces, among it the Zarya laser complex, the Kalitka-KA anti-aircraft machine-gun robotic complex, the Citadel, ZAK-57-MSK and S-60M anti-aircraft artillery complexes and Anklav machine-gun mounts, Kommersant reported. [ 1 ]
Kommersant noted that the participation of foreign contingents in such manoeuvres is meant not as independent action by individual units but as the inclusion of a mixed grouping in a single command system. At CSTO exercises in November 2021, troops practised joint planning and conduct of a peacekeeping operation drawing on the experience of Syria and Nagorno-Karabakh, with contingents from six states expected to combine quickly for a common set of tasks. In May 2025 the same arrangement was described as a way to strengthen military integration between Russia and Belarus and to practise joint action under a potential threat. [ 1 ]
On 4 October TASS reported, in a headline without further detail in the material available, that Peskov had disclosed the intent of the Center-2026 exercises. The available TASS material did not say what he described as the purpose of the drills. [ 2 ]
Why it matters
The manoeuvres pair a large Russian exercise with a CSTO command-staff drill, which Kommersant described as moving allied interaction from parallel preparation to coordinated training of forces and command bodies. Russian officers said they were passing on the experience of the special military operation to foreign contingents, tying training with partners to the war in Ukraine. The documents give no detail on the results of the drills or on what Peskov said about their purpose.
Key facts
- Deputy Defence Minister, Army General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov reported to President Vladimir Putin on the progress of the Center-2026 exercises at the Chebarkulsky range in the Chelyabinsk region [ 1 ]
- The ministry said particular attention was being paid to organising, stationing and employing the forces of foreign contingents [ 1 ]
- A total of 47,000 servicemen are involved, including more than 2,000 who took part in the special military operation [ 1 ]
- The exercises are coupled with the CSTO’s Interaction-2026 command-staff exercise [ 1 ]
- New counter-drone systems were put through their paces, including the Zarya laser complex, the Kalitka-KA robotic anti-aircraft machine-gun complex, the Citadel, ZAK-57-MSK and S-60M anti-aircraft artillery complexes and Anklav machine-gun mounts [ 1 ]
- Yevkurov said Russia was passing on the experience of the special military operation to its foreign colleagues [ 1 ]
- TASS reported that Peskov had disclosed the intent of the exercises [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- What Peskov said about the purpose of the Center-2026 exercises TASS published only a headline, with no summary or article text, so the content of his remarks is not in the documents.
- Which countries are contributing foreign contingents and how many troops each has sent Kommersant is the only outlet reporting this and does not name the participating states or the size of their contingents.
- The results of the drills and whether they have finished Kommersant reported on progress during the exercise; neither document states when the manoeuvres end or what they achieved.