Russian servicemen sit atop a 2S5 Giatsint-S self-propelled howitzer during the annual international military-technical forum outside Moscow. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
Cape Town: Russia launched the opening of its Vostok-2022 strategic military exercises which includes thousands of Chinese soldiers at the Sergeevsky training ground in Russia's Primorsky Region on Wednesday.
Sputnik News reported that representatives of Azerbaijan, Algeria, Armenia, Belarus, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Laos, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Syria and Tajikistan all delivered welcoming speeches, following the drills.
“In a solemn atmosphere, during the general construction of military contingents participating in the SCPE, the flag of the Vostok-2022 exercises was raised,” the Russian Defence Ministry.
Deputy Defence Minister Colonel General Yunus-Bek Evkurov added that the exercises aimed to develop a “common understanding of the organisation of troop training, their command and interaction at the operational and tactical levels, strengthen friendship and camaraderie between our servicemen”.
The military exercises is set to take place in Russia's Eastern Military District from September 1 to 7, with drills that involve members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
More than 2 000 Chinese soldiers and 300 units of Chinese automotive military equipment will take part in the Vostok-2022 exercises, where more than 5 000 units of weapons and military equipment, including 140 aircraft, 60 warships, boats and support vessels will be used.
IOL