Russia demonstrates the power of its deadly missiles

Russia is continuing to show off its nuclear-capable missiles after mobilising 300,000 troops and 30,000 tanks for its week-long ‘war games’. 

Dubbed ‘Vostok-2018’ (East-2018), the country’s largest ever military drills since the fall of the Soviet Union kicked off in far eastern Russia and on the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday. 

Russia’s Ministry of Defence broadcast images on Tuesday of columns of tanks, armoured vehicles and warships on the move, and combat helicopters and fighter aircraft taking off.

In one clip, marines from Russia’s Northern Fleet and a motorised Arctic brigade were shown disembarking from a large landing ship on a barren shore opposite Alaska. 

On Wednesday, the Russian Army fired missiles at Telemba training ground, some 80 miles north of the Siberian city of Chita.

But the show of force that will include joint exercises with the Chinese army has been condemned by NATO as rehearsals for a ‘large-scale conflict.’  

China and Russia have staged joint drills before but not on such a large scale, and the Vostok-2018 exercise signals closer military ties as well as sending an unspoken reminder to Beijing that Moscow is able and ready to defend its sparsely populated far east.

Vostok-2018 is taking place at a time of heightened tension between the West and Russia, and NATO has said it will monitor the exercise closely, as will the United States which has a strong military presence in the Asia-Pacific region. 

It also comes as Putin escalated the war of words over the Salisbury nerve agent attack by claiming there is ‘nothing criminal’ about Britain’s prime suspects.

The Russian Army fires missiles during the Vostok-2018 (East-2018) military drills at Telemba training ground on Wednesday

Military personnel prepare Russian air defense missile systems during the military exercises in the Chita region of eastern Siberia

Military personnel prepare Russian air defense missile systems during the military exercises in the Chita region of eastern Siberia

Hundreds of thousands of Russian troops swept across Siberia on Tuesday in the nation's largest ever war games

Hundreds of thousands of Russian troops swept across Siberia on Tuesday in the nation’s largest ever war games

A Russian Army chef stands in front of a tent during the Vostok-2018 war games at Telemba military training ground, 80 miles north of the Siberian city of Chita

A Russian Army chef stands in front of a tent during the Vostok-2018 war games at Telemba military training ground, 80 miles north of the Siberian city of Chita

Police and prosecutors last week said Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov had been identified as members of the GRU, Russia’s military intelligence service.

Athorities believe the pair smeared the highly toxic chemical Novichok on a door handle at the Wiltshire home of former GRU officer Sergei Skripal, leaving he and his daughter Yulia critically ill in March.

The allegations are staunchly denied by the Kremlin and on Wednesday, Putin said the men had been discounted as members of his shadowy security network.

In an address to the Easter Economic Forum in Vladivostok, he said: ‘Of course, we looked who these people are. We know who they are, we have found them already. There is nothing special and nothing criminal about it, I’m telling you.’

Questioned on whether the pair were civilians, he replied: ‘Of course they are civilians.’ 

The ministry said this activity was part of the first stage of the exercise, which runs until September 17, and it involved deploying additional forces to Russia’s far east and a naval build-up involving its Northern and Pacific fleets.

The main aim was to check the military’s readiness to move troops large distances, to test how closely infantry and naval forces cooperated, and to perfect command and control procedures. Later stages will involve rehearsals of both defensive and offensive scenarios. 

The defence ministry said the military drills will involve about 36,000 tanks and 300,000 troops at sea and on the ground. China is sending 3,200 troops to take part in the exercises later this week.

They coincide with talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of an economic forum in Vladivostok in Russia’s far east on Tuesday.  

Hundreds of thousands of troops including Chinese soldiers are taking part in Russia's largest every military drills. Pictured, Russian armored personnel carriers roll during the military exercises in the Chita region, eastern Siberia

Hundreds of thousands of troops including Chinese soldiers are taking part in Russia’s largest every military drills. Pictured, Russian armored personnel carriers roll during the military exercises in the Chita region, eastern Siberia

The week-long war games dubbed 'Vostok-2018' (East-2018), kicked off in far eastern Russia. Pictured, a military aircraft getting into position on Tuesday

The week-long war games dubbed ‘Vostok-2018’ (East-2018), kicked off in far eastern Russia. Pictured, a military aircraft getting into position on Tuesday

Drone footage captured a Russian fleet being loaded with a missile ahead of the war games dubbed 'Vostok-2018'

Drone footage captured a Russian fleet being loaded with a missile ahead of the war games dubbed ‘Vostok-2018’

Putin is expected to attend Vostok-2018 after hosting the economic forum in Vladivostok where Xi is one of the prominent guests.

There, Putin told Xi that Moscow and Beijing’s relations were based on trust in areas ranging from politics to security and defence.

He made the comments ahead of talks with his Chinese counterpart which are being held on the sidelines of an economic forum in the city of Vladivostok in Russia’s far east.  

Putin praised Russia’s increasingly close ties with China, saying: ‘We have trustworthy ties in political, security and defence spheres.’ Xi for his part said the two countries’ ‘friendship is getting stronger all the time.’  

At a news conference following the talks, Xi declared that Russia and China should work together to oppose protectionism and what he called unilateral approaches to international problems. 

Xi, whose country is locked in an escalating trade showdown with the United States, did not mention Washington – but said an increasingly unpredictable geopolitical climate made partnership between Russia and China even more important.  

The war games are being held a year after Russia staged major drills in the country’s west, unnerving neighbouring former Soviet republics.

Meanwhile, NATO and European governments are eyeing the exercises closely, watching to see what they reveal about military co-operation between Russia and China, and their mounting military might.

The drills have been condemned by NATO as a rehearsal for ‘large-scale conflict’ by NATO, which has said it will monitor the exercise closely, as will the United States which has a strong military presence in the Asia-Pacific region. 

A Russian soldier guards an area during the military exercises in the Chita region of eastern Siberia during the Vostok-2018 exercises in Russia

A Russian soldier guards an area during the military exercises in the Chita region of eastern Siberia during the Vostok-2018 exercises in Russia

Hundreds of thousands of troops are taking part in a show of force NATO condemned as a rehearsal for 'large-scale conflict'

Hundreds of thousands of troops are taking part in a show of force NATO condemned as a rehearsal for ‘large-scale conflict’

The defence ministry released video footage of military vehicles, planes, helicopters and ships getting into position for the initial stage of the drills

The defence ministry released video footage of military vehicles, planes, helicopters and ships getting into position for the initial stage of the drills

Russia's defence ministry released video footage of military vehicles, planes, helicopters and ships getting into position for the initial stage of the drills today

Russia’s defence ministry released video footage of military vehicles, planes, helicopters and ships getting into position for the initial stage of the drills today

The main aim of the initial stages of the drills was to check the military's readiness to move troops large distances, to test how closely infantry and naval forces cooperated, and to perfect command and control procedures

The main aim of the initial stages of the drills was to check the military’s readiness to move troops large distances, to test how closely infantry and naval forces cooperated, and to perfect command and control procedures

The military exercises come at a time of escalating tensions between Moscow and the West over accusations of Russian interference in western affairs and ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Syria.

The Russian army has compared the show of force to the USSR’s 1981 war games that saw between 100,000 and 150,000 Warsaw Pact soldiers take part in ‘Zapad-81’ (West-81) – the largest military exercises of the Soviet era.

But Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said these exercises are even larger, with 300,000 soldiers, 36,000 military vehicles, 1,000 planes and 80 warships taking part in the drills.

He said the games would be at an ‘unprecedented scale both in territory and number of troops involved.’

‘Imagine 36,000 military vehicles moving at the same time: tanks, armoured personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles – and all of this, of course, in conditions as close to a combat situation as possible,’ Shoigu said. 

The Russian army is rolling out all of its latest additions for the event, including missiles that can carry nuclear warheads

The Russian army is rolling out all of its latest additions for the event, including missiles that can carry nuclear warheads

 Several frigates equipped with Kalibr missiles that have been used in Syria during the games are seen in Russian waters on Tuesday

 Several frigates equipped with Kalibr missiles that have been used in Syria during the games are seen in Russian waters on Tuesday

Russia's defence ministry released video footage of military vehicles, planes, helicopters and ships in action on Tuesday

Russia’s defence ministry released video footage of military vehicles, planes, helicopters and ships in action on Tuesday

Russian armored personnel carriers roll through the Chita region, Eastern Siberia, during the war games on Tuesday

Russian armored personnel carriers roll through the Chita region, Eastern Siberia, during the war games on Tuesday

Some 30 aircraft from the Chinese air force will also take part in the five day drills.

The Chinese claimed the vast operation was not ‘directed against any third party’ and would focus purely on ‘defences, firepower strikes and counterattack.’

The latest in a series of massive drills ordered by Putin come at a time of escalating tensions between Moscow and the West over accusations of Russian interference in western affairs and ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Syria.

Vostok-2018 also features more than twice the number of troops in the entire British armed forces, which is just below 150,000.

China's President Xi Jinping (left) and Russia's President Vladimir Putin making bliny (Russian pancakes) during a visit to the the Far East Street exhibition on the sidelines of the 2018 Eastern Economic Forum on Tuesday

China’s President Xi Jinping (left) and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin making bliny (Russian pancakes) during a visit to the the Far East Street exhibition on the sidelines of the 2018 Eastern Economic Forum on Tuesday

The Chinese and Russian leader donned aprons to prepare their own pancakes during the economic forum, held on Russky Island in the city of Vladivostok

The Chinese and Russian leader donned aprons to prepare their own pancakes during the economic forum, held on Russky Island in the city of Vladivostok

China's President Xi Jinping (left) and Vladimir Putin (centre) toast with a shot of vodka at a pancakes stand on Tuesday

China’s President Xi Jinping (left) and Vladimir Putin (centre) toast with a shot of vodka at a pancakes stand on Tuesday

The Russian army is rolling out all of its latest additions for the massive military exercises including T-80 and T-90 tanks

The Russian army is rolling out all of its latest additions for the massive military exercises including T-80 and T-90 tanks

Russian military helicopters fly, in the Chita region, Eastern Siberia, during the Vostok 2018 exercises in Russia

Russian military helicopters fly, in the Chita region, Eastern Siberia, during the Vostok 2018 exercises in Russia

The Russian army's recent Su-34 and Su-35 fighter planes are also in action for what it has called its largest ever military drills

The Russian army’s recent Su-34 and Su-35 fighter planes are also in action for what it has called its largest ever military drills

Russia's military chief of staff says the military exercises expected to be the biggest in three decades will involve nearly 300,000 troops

Russia’s military chief of staff says the military exercises expected to be the biggest in three decades will involve nearly 300,000 troops

The drills come as Putin told his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping that Moscow and Beijing's relations were based on trust in areas ranging from politics to security and defence

The drills come as Putin told his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping that Moscow and Beijing’s relations were based on trust in areas ranging from politics to security and defence

Tanks roll during the military exercises in the Chita region, Eastern Siberia, during the Vostok 2018 exercises in Russia

Tanks roll during the military exercises in the Chita region, Eastern Siberia, during the Vostok 2018 exercises in Russia

Russian officials have said that 1,000 planes and 80 warships taking part in the drills as well as 36,000 military vehicles

Russian officials have said that 1,000 planes and 80 warships taking part in the drills as well as 36,000 military vehicles

The Russian army is rolling out all of its latest additions for the event: Iskander missiles that can carry nuclear warheads, T-80 and T-90 tanks and its recent Su-34 and Su-35 fighter planes.

At sea, the Russian fleet is deploying several frigates equipped with Kalibr missiles that have been used in Syria.

Wednesday will see games featuring anti-aircraft technology, while the main event will be on Thursday, the defence ministry told journalists covering the event in eastern Siberia.

NATO said that Vostok-2018 ‘demonstrates Russia’s focus on exercising large-scale conflict’.

‘It fits into a pattern we have seen over some time – a more assertive Russia, significantly increasing its defence budget and its military presence,’ the alliance’s spokesman Dylan White said in late August.

Last month, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia’s ‘ability to defend itself in the current international situation which is often aggressive and unfriendly to our country is justified, essential and without alternative’.

Relations between Russia and the West declined sharply in 2014 with Moscow’s annexation of Crimea and the subsequent conflict in eastern Ukraine.

According to reports, China's participation - although modest with only 3,200 men - will be a key factor at the drills

According to reports, China’s participation – although modest with only 3,200 men – will be a key factor at the drills

Moscow has increased the number of its large-scale military exercises in the Caucasus, the Baltic and the Arctic since relations between Russia and the West declined sharply in 2014 with Moscow's annexation of Crimea

Moscow has increased the number of its large-scale military exercises in the Caucasus, the Baltic and the Arctic since relations between Russia and the West declined sharply in 2014 with Moscow’s annexation of Crimea

At the same time the Kremlin has accused NATO of expanding westwards and threatening Russian national security

At the same time the Kremlin has accused NATO of expanding westwards and threatening Russian national security

The Russian army is rolling out all its latest additions for the event including Iskander missiles that can carry nuclear warheads

The Russian army is rolling out all its latest additions for the event including Iskander missiles that can carry nuclear warheads

The military exercises come at a time of escalating tensions between Moscow and the West over accusations of Russian interference in western affairs and ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Syria

The military exercises come at a time of escalating tensions between Moscow and the West over accusations of Russian interference in western affairs and ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Syria

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said 300,000 soldiers, 36,000 military vehicles, 1,000 planes and 80 warships are taking part in the drills

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said 300,000 soldiers, 36,000 military vehicles, 1,000 planes and 80 warships are taking part in the drills

Shoigu added that the games would be at an 'unprecedented scale both in territory and number of troops involved

Shoigu added that the games would be at an ‘unprecedented scale both in territory and number of troops involved

The drills, which include the Chinese and Mongolian armies, were condemned by NATO as a rehearsal for 'large-scale conflict'

The drills, which include the Chinese and Mongolian armies, were condemned by NATO as a rehearsal for ‘large-scale conflict’

 Vladimir Putin's range is awesome after a major modernisation of the creaking forces he inherited from the Soviet era

 Vladimir Putin’s range is awesome after a major modernisation of the creaking forces he inherited from the Soviet era

The Kremlin has also accused NATO of expanding westwards and threatening Russian national security.

Moscow has increased the number of its large-scale military exercises in the Caucasus, the Baltic and the Arctic in recent years.

Russia’s previous military exercise in the region, Vostok-2014, was almost half the size, with 155,000 soldiers participating.

The country’s war games in Eastern Europe last year, Zapad-2017, saw 12,700 troops take part according to Moscow. Ukraine and the Baltic states said the true number was far bigger.

Russia has been preparing for the latest drills for weeks – at one point closing a road so planes could land near Khabarovsk, and firing missiles from land, surface and submarine at a target in the Sea of Okhotsk.

Moscow has increased the number of large-scale military exercises in the Caucasus, the Baltic and the Arctic in recent years

Moscow has increased the number of large-scale military exercises in the Caucasus, the Baltic and the Arctic in recent years

Russia's previous military exercise in the region, Vostok-2014, was almost half the size, with 155,000 soldiers participating

Russia’s previous military exercise in the region, Vostok-2014, was almost half the size, with 155,000 soldiers participating

A Russian fighter jet prepares to take off during the military exercises in the Chita region, Eastern Siberia, on Tuesday

A Russian fighter jet prepares to take off during the military exercises in the Chita region, Eastern Siberia, on Tuesday

The war games are underway at five ranges in the east of Russia, and in the waters of the Sea of Japan, Bering Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk

The war games are underway at five ranges in the east of Russia, and in the waters of the Sea of Japan, Bering Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia's 'ability to defend itself in the current international situation which is often aggressive and unfriendly to our country is justified, essential and without alternative'

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia’s ‘ability to defend itself in the current international situation which is often aggressive and unfriendly to our country is justified, essential and without alternative’

General of Army Valery Gerasimov (second from left), chief of the General Staff of Russian Army, informs foreign diplomats about Vostok-2018 (East 2018), during a briefing at the Defense Ministry in Moscow on September 6

General of Army Valery Gerasimov (second from left), chief of the General Staff of Russian Army, informs foreign diplomats about Vostok-2018 (East 2018), during a briefing at the Defense Ministry in Moscow on September 6

The military drills known as Vostok-2018 will run from September 11 to 17 in the Russian Far East, officials announced last week

The military drills known as Vostok-2018 will run from September 11 to 17 in the Russian Far East, officials announced last week

Putin’s range is awesome after a major modernisation of the creaking forces he inherited from the Soviet era.

Separately he has a large convoy in the Arctic and some 25 warships in the Mediterranean – the biggest deployment since the deployed forces in Syria three years ago.

Ahead of the games, Russian forces unleashed a devastating display involving synchronised launches from land, surface vessel and submarine hitting targets in the Sea of Okhotsk.

The live-fire exercise hit two drifting targets in the Sea of Okhotsk on Russia’s Pacific coast as Putin was on a trip to Siberia.

Four different types of cruise missile were used in the attack – Vulkan, Granit, Malakhit and Onyx.

President Vladimir Putin (pictured at the Eastern Economic Forum on  Tuesday) is expected to attend Vostok-2018 after hosting an economic forum in Russia's far eastern city Vladivostok

President Vladimir Putin (pictured at the Eastern Economic Forum on  Tuesday) is expected to attend Vostok-2018 after hosting an economic forum in Russia’s far eastern city Vladivostok

Vladimir Putin (right) greets Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) during their meeting at the Eastern Economic Forum on Tuesday

Vladimir Putin (right) greets Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) during their meeting at the Eastern Economic Forum on Tuesday

They were fired from the missile cruiser Varyag – flagship of the Pacific fleet – as well as missile corvettes Razliv and Moroz, and the Tomsk nuclear powered submarine.

They were supported by the Bastion missile system fired from land.

The distance of the targets was between 155 and 310 miles.

‘All seven cruise missiles successfully hit the targets,’ said a statement from Russia’s eastern military district.

Earlier vehicles were halted on the Khabarovsk to Komsomolsk-on-Amur motorway to allow Su-30SM, Su-35S and MiG-31 pilots to test their landing and takeoff skills on the narrow road, according to local reports.

Military Mi-26 helicopters also swooped in to land on the highway, and an An-26 was seen touching down on the two-lane road.

Halted motorists filmed the amazing scenes as they got a grandstand view for the military exercise close to the Chinese border in the Russian Far East.

Putin is expected to attend Vostok-2018 after hosting an economic forum where his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping (left) is one of the prominent guests

Putin is expected to attend Vostok-2018 after hosting an economic forum where his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping (left) is one of the prominent guests

 

 

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