Russia, China and others to kick off Vostok

An opening ceremony was held in eastern Russia on Wednesday for the Vostok 2022 (East 2022) military drills - a show of increasingly close defence ties between Moscow and Beijing.

The Russian Defence Ministry said the exercise would be held September 1 to 7 in various locations in Russia's Far East and the Sea of Japan and involve more than 50,000 troops, over 5,000 weapons units, including 140 aircraft and 60 warships. The drills will be conducted at seven firing ranges in far eastern Russia and will engage troops from several ex-Soviet nations, plus China, India, Laos, Mongolia, Nicaragua and Syria. The ministry said that units of Russian Airborne troops, long-range bombers and military cargo planes will take part in the drills along with other forces.