Vostok 2022: Russia, China flaunt military might against backdrop of Ukraine war

Russia has launched sweeping military drills in the country’s east that involve forces from China – a show of increasingly close defence ties between Moscow and Beijing amid tensions with the West over the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine. The Vostok 2022 (East 2022) exercise is being held Sept. 1-7 in various locations in Russia’s Far East and the Sea of Japan, with the opening ceremonies held on Wednesday. Russia has claimed that 50,000 troops will take part in the exercise, but Britain’s defence minister has said it would be unlikely more than 15,000 personnel will be involved. According to official figures quoted by Russian media, it will also involve more than 5,000 weapons units, including 140 aircraft and 60 warships. Russia and China have held a series of joint war games in recent years, including naval drills and patrols by long-range bombers over the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea. Last year, Russian troops deployed to Chinese territory for the first time for joint ma