Russian President Vladimir Putin took part in large-scale war games in his country’s Far East on Tuesday, featuring troops from China and other nations, in a show of military might amid tensions with the West over Moscow’s actions in Ukraine. The week-long exercise, which began on Thursday, is intended to showcase growing defense ties between Russia and China, as well as show that Moscow has enough troops and equipment to carry out massive exercises even as its forces fight in Ukraine.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said the Vostok 2022 (East 2022) exercise, which runs through Wednesday at seven ranges in the Russian Far East and the Sea of Japan, involves more than 50,000 troops and more than 5,000 weapons units, including 140 aircraft and 60 warships by ship. It involves soldiers from several former Soviet nations, China, India, Laos, Mongolia, Nicaragua and Syria.
According to Chinese reports, Beijing has sent more than 2,000 troops along with more than 300 military vehicles, 21 warplanes and three warships to take part in the exercise. As part of the maneuvers, the Russian and Chinese navies practiced joint action in the Sea of Japan to protect maritime communications and support land forces in coastal areas.
The exercise was the first time China has sent forces from three branches of its military to take part in a single Russian exercise, a sign of growing close ties between Moscow and Beijing that have strengthened since Putin sent troops to Ukraine in February. 24. China has vehemently refused to criticize Russia’s actions, accusing the US and NATO of provoking Moscow and condemning punitive Western sanctions against Russia.
In return, the Kremlin has strongly supported Beijing amid the latest tensions with the US, which followed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s recent visit to Taiwan. The exercise continues a series of joint war games between Russia and China in recent years, including naval exercises and long-range bomber patrols over the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea. Last year, Russian troops deployed for the first time on Chinese territory for joint maneuvers.
Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping have forged strong personal ties to strengthen a strategic partnership between the former communist rivals as both are locked in a rivalry with the U.S. While Moscow and Beijing have ruled out a military alliance in the past, Putin said such a prospect cannot be ruled out .
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