Massive Russian war games kicks off, condemned as a rehearsal for ‘large-scale conflict’

CHINA has joined with Russia as the country launched its largest war games exercise since the height of the Cold War in a pointed message to the West.

The war games will take place through to the end of the week.

RUSSIA has been joined by China as the country conducts its biggest war games event in nearly 40 years.

It is the biggest display of military force and mobilisation of troops by Russia since the height of the Cold War — and it comes as tensions between Russia and the West continue to rise over accusations of Russian interference in Western affairs and conflicts in Ukraine and Syria.

NATO has condemned the exercise as a rehearsal for “large-scale conflict”.

Dubbed Vostok-2018 (East 2018), the war games involve more than 300,000 troops, 36,000 tanks, 1000 aircraft, helicopters and drones and 80 warships and support vessels, according to Russia’s defence ministry.

Taking place in eastern Russia, the week-long event got under way on Tuesday local time, with pictures of combat helicopters and fighter aircraft taking off, rows of military vehicles and tanks, and naval vessels on the move being broadcast.

Speaking before the event, Russian Lieutenant-General Ivan Buvaltsev called it a “practical rally of hostilities” and said it would be “unprecedented in scale, both in terms of area of operations and numbers of military command structure, troops and forces involved”.

Some 3500 Chinese troops are also taking part in the war games, as well as a small contingent of Mongolian troops.

In this screengrab provided by Russian Defence Ministry, the country’s armoured personnel carriers roll during the military exercises in the Chita region, Eastern Siberia, during the Vostok 2018 exercises in Russia.

A Russian aircraft prepares to take off during the military exercises. Russia’s military chief of staff says that the exercises will involve 1000 aircraft, helicopters and drones. Picture: Russian Defence Ministry via AP

Russian tanks roll down a road in Eastern Siberia. Picture: Russian Defence Ministry via AP

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Russia’s increasingly close ties with China as he met Chinese President Xi Jinping at the economic forum in the port city of Vladivostok, Russia, overnight (AEST).

“We have trustworthy ties in political, security and defence spheres,” the Russian leader said.

In a message likely intended for the NATO alliance, the Chinese President said the two countries’ “friendship is getting stronger all the time”.

While US-led Western allies condemn the war games, Russia has done little to dispel the notion that it is a practice run for conflict.

“Imagine 36,000 military vehicles moving at the same time — tanks, armoured personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles — and all of this, of course, in conditions as close to a combat situation as possible,” Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told the media.

ROLLING OUT THE BIG GUNS

The Russian army is rolling out all of its latest additions for the event: Iskander missiles that can carry nuclear warheads, T-80 and T-90 tanks and its recent Su-34 and Su-35 fighter planes.

At sea, the Russian fleet is deploying several frigates equipped with Kalibr missiles that have been used in Syria.

Wednesday will see games featuring anti-aircraft technology while the exercise will reach its zenith on Thursday local time, Russian officials said.

This photo, provided by Russian Defence Ministry Press Service, shows military helicopters flying, in the Chita region, Eastern Siberia, on Tuesday.

A Russian soldier on guard during the military exercises. Picture: Russian Defence Ministry via AP

CHINA’S MESSAGE TO THE US

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has downplayed the significance of China’s participation, saying he doesn’t see much that aligns Russia and China in the future.

Fyodor Lukyanov, editor of Russia In Global Affairs, said it looked like a direct response to moves made by the United States and signals that China regards Russia as a potential ally as the US tries to contain its rise.

“Clearly we can see a growing rapprochement between Russia and China because of the very assertive line against both countries by the United States. And in this regard we can say that Donald Trump is the major patron of the Russian-Chinese closer relationship,” he told Al Jazeera.

ECHOES OF SOVIET RUSSIA

During the rest of this week, the exercises will be held across nine training ranges and three seas: the Sea of Japan, the Bering Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk.

The Russian army has compared the show of force to the USSR’s 1981 war games that saw between 100,000 and 150,000 Warsaw Pact soldiers take part in “Zapad-81” (West-81) — the largest military exercises of the Soviet era.

- With AFP

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping have praised their relationship and China’s involvement in the war games. Picture: Alexander Zemlianichenko