10 Mar 2022 18:16

CSTO approves plan to conduct regional operation to counter illegal migration

MOSCOW. March 10 (Interfax) - The relevant entities of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) on Thursday approved a plan to conduct a regional operation to counter illegal migration in 2022.

"The plan has been approved," CSTO press secretary Vladimir Zainetdinov told reporters.

"A meeting of the international headquarters of Operation Illegal, chaired by Police Lieut. Gen. Valentina Kazakova, the head of the Russian Interior Ministry Main Directorate for migration Issues, was held in the CSTO Crisis Response Center on March 10, 2022," he said.

"It was stated that more than 105,000 violations of migration legislation were stopped as a result of coordinated actions by the relevant bodies of CSTO countries. Among other things, foreign citizens who have evaded leaving after overstaying their time for a long time were found," Zainetdinov said.

The CSTO comprises Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.