Russian Vostok-2018: Russia's biggest military drills kick off, 3,200 Chinese soldiers involved

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Europe

02:46

Russia's biggest strategic military drills in nearly four decades kick off today. The drills, dubbed Vostok 2018 or East 2018, consist of about 32-hundred participating Chinese soldiers. CGTN's Ge Yunfei files this report from the Tsugol Training Center in Russia with the Chinese army.

Vostok 2018 kicks off Tuesday in eastern Russia. With nearly 300,000 Russian troops, 36,000 military vehicles, and more than 1,000 aircraft, the drills are the largest ever for the Russian military, dethroning a similar exercise back in 1981. And this time, the Chinese People's Liberation Army is part of the action.

GE YUNFEI TSUGOL TRAINING RANGE, RUSSIA "Today is the beginning of the Vostok-2018 military drills. In the playbook, an enemy force is invading into Russia, and the Chinese forces are cooperating with the Russian forces to counter-attack the invasion. And in the coming days, they will push back from the air and on the land to win the final triumph."

In the first two days, the two armies will focus mainly on tactical plans and coordinating military activities. The Final drills will take place on Thursday.

WU KELI, VICE-CHIEF OF STAFF PLA 78TH ARMY CORPS "Vostok-2018 is designed as a complete military campaign. It includes three stages, mobile defense, fire strikes and counter-attacks. It's a good exercise for our troops and commanding power at all levels."

China's contingent consists of over 3200 soldiers, over 1000 pieces of military equipment and 30 planes and helicopters. They are co-training with Russian forces at Tsugol Training Range.

GE YUNFEI TSUGOL TRAINING RANGE, RUSSIA"Though with so many equipment and forces, unlike the many China-Russia military drills before, this one is not a joint military drill."

COLONEL LI SHUYIN, RESEARCHER PLA ACADEMY OF MILITARY SCIENCES "In a joint military drill, the two sides together will set up the strategies and tactics. But this time, the Chinese army is 'embedded', so to speak, into Russia's domestic drills."

In the past, most China-Russia joint military drills focused on anti-terrorism. But in this drill, the two armies are simulating a classical warfare, striking traditional threats.

COLONEL LI SHUYIN, RESEARCHER PLA ACADEMY OF MILITARY SCIENCES "It symbolizes the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination and how cooperation between the two armies has upgraded into a new level."

According to the commanding headquarter of the Chinese army in the drills, the drills are not aimed at any third party. Ge Yunfei, CGTN, Tsugol Training Center in East Russia.