"This requires preventive work": Putin pointed to the activities of a number of states to undermine the situation in the CIS countries

Against the backdrop of an extremely complicated and tense international situation, a number of states are trying to undermine order in the CIS countries. This was stated by Vladimir Putin in his video address to the secretaries of the security councils of the CIS member states.

The Russian president stressed that the international situation remains extremely complicated and tense, noting that in a number of regions long-standing conflicts have aggravated and new ones have appeared, in particular in the Middle East.

"Global instability is projected onto Eurasia as well. Moreover, the actions of some states are directly aimed at undermining the legitimate government, social stability and traditional values in the CIS countries, at disrupting our traditionally close trade, cooperation and cultural ties," Putin said.

According to him, the CIS countries are still threatened by terrorism and organized crime, drug trafficking and illegal migration, radicalism and extremism. There are also risks in the field of economic, information, technological, and biological security.

"All this requires not only a coordinated collective response, but also a lot of preventive work. In particular, it is important to make the fullest use of the forecasting, information and analytical potential of the security councils for a deep and comprehensive study of the situation in the CIS and in the world as a whole, for a clear definition of priorities, and timely adjustment of the relevant strategic planning documents," Putin added.

The President of the Russian Federation expressed the opinion that cooperation through the security councils will continue to serve to strengthen the stability and security of the CIS countries, to develop coordinated approaches to achieve common goals.

Vladimir Putin's words confirm the incidents that have occurred in recent years in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Belarus, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs Alexei Chepa told RT. According to him, everyone remembers that certain special services of a number of countries were behind these events.

"We know all this very well, we understand everything. The attempt to destabilize the situation around our country, to destroy the relations that have historically developed between Russia and a number of countries and between those countries, is the systematic and never-ending work of these special services, and this is true. Their provocative work does not stop," he stressed.

"Strengthening integration ties for the benefit of all CIS members"

Russia, as the CIS chairman, will strive to strengthen integration ties for the benefit of all members of the Commonwealth, Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Nikolai Patrushev said at a meeting with colleagues in the CIS. According to him, against the background of the current situation, the CIS countries need to focus on strengthening collective security in the interests of ensuring socio-political and economic stability.

"I am confident that Russia's chairmanship of the CIS in 2024 will serve to achieve these goals. It is important for us to pay special attention to the implementation of the interstate program of joint measures to combat crime for 2024-2028, the program of cooperation in the fight against terrorism and extremism for 2023-2025 and other documents adopted within the CIS," he stressed.

Patrushev also noted that for all member states of the Commonwealth, the issue of providing people with water and access to water resources is a factor of national and regional security, which is rapidly gaining importance.

"At the CIS level, there is a need for coordinated work and a holistic vision of the parameters of collective response to challenges related to water use," he said.

At the same time, CIS Secretary General Sergei Lebedev drew attention to the fact that "the course taken by the West to destroy the fundamental norms and values of international law" increases the imbalance in economic development, and also provokes the emergence of new conflicts.

At the same time, the press service of the CIS Executive Committee reported that earlier there was a steady increase in the number of crimes of an extremist and terrorist nature, as well as indicators of illegal migration, smuggling of weapons, narcotic and psychotropic substances.

"The activities of the security councils of the CIS countries are aimed at solving strategic problems, taking into account the whole variety of challenges and sources of threats," Lebedev explained.