Army Games: Teams from 32 countries compete in int'l military contest in Russia

World
Europe

02:26

In Russia, teams from thirty-two countries are battling it out at the International Army Games, a competition that tests military prowess. The contest's marquee event, the tank biathlon, features tanks shooting cannons at targets while racing down an assault course in front of cheering crowds. And as Dan Ashby reports, it's also a chance for countries to show off their militaries' discipline.

A forty-tonne Soviet tank throwing its speed and might against the finest of margins. If armies held Olympics, this would be it: 32 countries racing each other so fast that tanks teeter on their edges, and crash through a supersize steeplechase.

DAN ASHBY ALABINO, RUSSIA "But this is not just a game. The images of tanks tearing down dirt tracks and piling into water project Russia's military power and show how it is ready and trained to use it."

Among the competitors are a host of Russia's allies, including Iran and Syria. All honing their skills from aerial bombardment to ground attack and troop landings. One Iranian team said it was a chance to share expertise.

With few NATO countries involved, the games may cause concern among Russia's adversaries. But the Ministry of Defence insists it is nothing more than sport.

MAJOR GENERAL ALEXANDER PERYAZEV RUSSIAN ARMY "We don't show our strength, we show our level of combat training. Not only Russia, but all the countries taking part in the Army Games. The teams are simply happy to assign their tasks and represent their countries. There is no military subtext, only sport."

At times the Games looked like scenes reminiscent of a motion picture epic. The countries are still battling it out to see who is the ultimate champion. But the games act as a reminder that combat is best watched as a sport because in real wars - there are often no winners. Dan Ashby, CGTN, International Army Games.