Russia launches largest joint navy drills of post-Soviet era alongside China

Russia has launched its largest navy drills of the post-Soviet era alongside Chinese warships, in the latest sign of deepening military cooperation between the two global powers.

The 7-day global military exercise, which kicked off on Tuesday, will cover the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, the Mediterranean, Caspian and Baltic Seas, according to the Russian defense ministry.

More than 90,000 Russian military personnel in more than 400 warships, submarines and support vessels, in addition to more than 120 aircraft and helicopters of the naval aviation and about 7,000 units of weapons will be used in these exercises.

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President Vladimir Putin will oversee the exercises "from a situation center in the Kremlin," his spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Russia said the exercises were aimed at testing the navy's readiness, using weapons and expanding co-operation with "partner countries" and “strengthen their ability to jointly deal with security threats”.

"The main objectives of [the drills] ... are to test the readiness of the command staff of the Russian Navy formations and units to manage heterogeneous force groups in their areas of responsibility, solve non-standard operational tasks, comprehensively use high-precision weapons, advanced and modern weapons and military equipment during the practical part of the exercise, as well as expand interaction with the naval forces of partner countries in solving joint tasks at sea," Russian's defense ministry said.

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"Operational groups of military command bodies and military contingents from foreign partner states of Russia have been invited to participate in the exercise," it added.

China’s defense ministry confirmed the joint naval and air drills with Russia, emphasizing the "strategic cooperation" between the two global powers' militaries in defiance of the West.

China sent four warships and a supply vessel to the exercise, joining Russia's naval fleet in the Sea of Japan, it said.

Chinese naval forces are set to become "one of the Russian army's main operational and combat training events of 2024," it added.

China and Russia have significantly strengthened their economic cooperation and diplomatic ties in recent years, with their strategic partnership growing even closer following the Ukraine conflict.

Russia and China declared a "no limits" partnership in February 2022, when Putin visited Beijing just days before Moscow launched its special military operation in Donbas.

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