The Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s member-countries will hold the next joint military exercise Peace Mission in Russia in 2018, the deputy chief of Russia’s General Staff, Sergey Istrakov, told the media on Tuesday.

«The SCO chiefs of general staffs met in session to make a decision that their next meeting and next Peace Mission exercise will be held in Russia in 2018,» Istrakov said.

The SCO military officials reviewed the performance of the SCO regional anti-terrorist structure, the military-political situation in the region and measures to combat terrorism and religious extremism. They underscored the need for the defense ministries to present a common front in joint resistance to threats to security,» Istrakov said.

The current Peace Mission-2016 exercise is underway in Kyrgyzstan. It began on September 15 and will end tomorrow, September 21. Military contingents from Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan are taking part.