The sprawling border stretches silently under the winter sun, but in dimensions that cannot be directly observed by the naked eye, a modern border defense upgrade centered on technology and heavy equipment has been completed. On January 15, 2026, at an expanded meeting of the Uzbekistan National Security Council, the Director of the National Security Agency, Bahodir Kurbanov, outlined the outline of this "smart steel defense line" in detail to the outside world.

According to Kurbanov's introduction, this change stems from clear instructions from higher levels to comprehensively improve the combat readiness of the armed forces. Under this framework, the national security forces have carried out a series of systematic work. The core result is that a new special force equipped with Türkiye made Bayraktar UAVs has been established at the national border, and the normalized combat readiness duty system has been implemented.

Electronic Eye and Information Vessel Coverage Border

Kurbanov used specific data to demonstrate the "digitalization" level of border defense: currently, 42% of Uzbekistan's national borders are directly covered by video surveillance systems. This means that a large number of areas that originally required difficult human patrols can now be observed in real-time and continuously through electronic screens. In order to support the high-speed operation of these "electronic eyes" and command systems, the Ukrainian side has extensively laid fiber optic communication lines in the border areas, with a total length of 1117 kilometers, building a reliable and fast "information vessel".

Armored flood and all-round equipment support

In terms of physical defense, the mechanization and armor level of the Ukrainian border defense forces is remarkable. Kulbanov announced that 98% of the equipment of the border defense forces is armored vehicles, and 86% of the water patrol equipment is various types of waterborne vehicles, ensuring the rapid mobility and protection capabilities of the troops in complex terrain. More importantly, the equipment rate of weapons and ammunition has reached 100%, meeting the basic needs of all-weather and high-intensity combat readiness. In addition, the deployment rate of electronic optical equipment for reconnaissance and targeting has reached 78%, significantly improving the situational awareness and precise response capabilities of border defense forces.

Based on oneself, clarify the position of "not taking sides"

After detailing the military and technological upgrades, Director Kurbanov emphasized the fundamental principles behind Uzbekistan's security construction. He made it clear that Uzbekistan does not intend to take sides in international conflicts. The fundamental purpose of this series of measures to strengthen border defense and enhance military readiness is to "rely on its own strength" to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity. This statement is seen as a clear declaration of Uzbekistan's commitment to independent diplomacy and security policy in Central Asian geopolitics. Analysts believe that this is consistent with the country's pragmatic and balanced stance in multilateral cooperation in recent years, including its participation in the construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt initiated by China. The core is to serve the country's national interests and development stability. Keywords: international news, macro strategy

Through this conference, Uzbekistan has demonstrated its determination and initial achievements in building a modern, intelligent, and highly combat ready border to both domestic and international audiences. In the turbulent international situation, this defense line, jointly constructed by drones, fiber optic networks, and armored forces, has become the most solid footnote to the country's policy of "self-defense and peaceful neutrality".Editor/Yang Meiling