Russia on Monday started massive military exercises involving 128,000 troops and the militaries of several allies, including India and China.

The Center-2019 drills will last through Saturday in the Urals, Siberia and the Caspian Sea.

They will also include over 20,000 pieces of military equipment and 15 ships, the Russian defense ministry said.

Russia regularly holds massive exercises, rotating in different regions of the country. Last year, the East-2018 exercises involved over 300,000 troops, making them the largest in the post-Soviet era.

The purpose of these latest drills is to "work on using groups of armed forces in solving issues of fighting international terrorism and ensure military security in the strategic direction of Central Asia", the ministry said.

The first stage of the two-part drills will focus on issues of fighting terrorism and thwarting an attack from the air. During the second stage, forces will be go on an offensive against a supposed enemy.

Troops from India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are also taking part in the exercise.

"The drills will serve to develop military collaboration and strengthen cooperation between our countries," Deputy Defence Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov said at the opening ceremony.

Related Links
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Pentagon steps up efforts to counter China's rising power
Washington (AFP) Sept 15, 2019
Maritime operations, missile tests, landing exercises: the Pentagon has been sharply stepping up its efforts to counter China's growing military power, seen increasingly as a threat. On Friday an American warship approached the Paracel Islands, an island chain claimed by Beijing in the South China Sea, to affirm international "freedom of navigation" in the region. The USS Wayne E. Meyer, a guided-missile destroyer, passed near the islands to contest Beijing's sweeping claims to the seas around t ... read more