Russia launched large-scale military exercises involving several Kremlin-friendly countries, including China, on Thursday. The exercises, called Vostok-2022, will continue till September 7 across several training grounds in Russia's Far East and in the waters off its eastern coast.&nbsp;

Earlier in August, China had confirmed its participation in the drills and said the joint exercises were "unrelated to the current international and regional situation". 
 
The drills come as Russia finds itself locked in a stand-off with Western nations over its military invasion of Ukraine and is seeking closer ties with countries in Africa, South America and Asia, particularly China. Moscow backed Beijing during US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan which China considers its territory.

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The ministry released images showing military aircraft taking off and flying in formation, as well as Pantsir anti-aircraft vehicles conducting manoeuvres. Besides China, other participating countries include Syria, India, Belarus, Mongolia and Tajikistan.

Meanwhile, Indian Army soldiers landed in Russia earlier today for the week-long military exercise, India's defence ministry said. United States had raised concerns over other countries exercising with Russia now.

"The United States has concerns about any country exercising with Russia while Russia wages a unprovoked, brutal war against Ukraine," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday.

The Indian government said that its forces have regularly participated in multilateral exercises in Russia, along with a number of other countries.

The active stage of the exercises kicked off Thursday morning with combat aircraft, anti-aircraft unit drills and mine clearance simulations in the Sea of Japan, the Russian defence ministry said.&nbsp;

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"Combat aviation crews will have to train in the interception of air targets...and conduct air strikes on ground targets," the ministry said in a statement.

According to Moscow, over 50,000 soldiers and more than 5,000 units of military equipment, including 140 aircraft and 60 ships, will be involved in the drills.&nbsp;

The previous Vostok drills took place in 2018, with nearly 300,000 troops reportedly involved, including for the first time from the Chinese army. 
&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

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Russia launched large-scale military exercises involving several Kremlin-friendly countries, including China, on Thursday. The exercises, called Vostok-2022, will continue till September 7 across several training grounds in Russia's Far East and in the waters off its eastern coast.

Russia launched large-scale military exercises involving several Kremlin-friendly countries, including China, on Thursday. The exercises, called Vostok-2022, will continue till September 7 across several training grounds in Russia's Far East and in the waters off its eastern coast. Earlier in August, China had confirmed its participation in the drills and said the joint exercises were "unrelated to the current international and regional situation". The drills come as Russia finds itself locked in a stand-off with Western nations over its military invasion of Ukraine and is seeking closer ties with countries in Africa, South America and Asia, particularly China. Moscow backed Beijing during US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan which China considers its territory. Also Read | 'We will chase them to the border,’ says Zelensky, as Ukraine battles to retake Kherson The ministry released images showing military aircraft taking off and flying in formation, as well as Pantsir anti-aircraft vehicles conducting manoeuvres. Besides China, other participating countries include Syria, India, Belarus, Mongolia and Tajikistan. Meanwhile, Indian Army soldiers landed in Russia earlier today for the week-long military exercise, India's defence ministry said. United States had raised concerns over other countries exercising with Russia now. "The United States has concerns about any country exercising with Russia while Russia wages a unprovoked, brutal war against Ukraine," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday. The Indian government said that its forces have regularly participated in multilateral exercises in Russia, along with a number of other countries. The active stage of the exercises kicked off Thursday morning with combat aircraft, anti-aircraft unit drills and mine clearance simulations in the Sea of Japan, the Russian defence ministry said. Also Read | Ukraine war: Six months that shook the world "Combat aviation crews will have to train in the interception of air targets...and conduct air strikes on ground targets," the ministry said in a statement. According to Moscow, over 50,000 soldiers and more than 5,000 units of military equipment, including 140 aircraft and 60 ships, will be involved in the drills. The previous Vostok drills took place in 2018, with nearly 300,000 troops reportedly involved, including for the first time from the Chinese army. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia begins military drills in Far East; India and China among participants

For several months now since November, the leaders of the west, Russia, and indeed the United States have been engaged in an escalating war of words. The political shadow boxing has been over a possible Russian incursion into Ukraine, in the aftermath of Russia having amassed almost over a hundred thousand troops along the borders with eastern Ukraine.

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India will be taking part with armies from Pakistan, China amongst others in the exercises being held by Russia set to be kicked off from September 9. "This year, invitations for participation have been extended to nine other countries.

India will be taking part with armies from Pakistan, China amongst others in the exercises being held by Russia set to be kicked off from September 9. "This year, invitations for participation have been extended to nine other countries. This year`s Exercise TSENTR 2019 will be conducted by the Central Military Commission of Russia. Apart from host Russia, military contingents from China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan will also take part in this mega event," an official release from PRO Army said. The exercise, scheduled to take place between September 9 to 23 at Donguz training ranges in Russia`s Orenburg, aims at evolving drills of the participating armies and practising them in the fight against the scourge of international terrorism thereby ensuring military security in the strategic Central Asian region. "The TSENTR-2019 strategic measures will focus on evaluating the level of troop preparedness, the acquisition of the required skills and raising the level of inter-operability and demonstrate the readiness of the participating armies," read the release. The 2019 edition of the exercise will comprise two modules. The first module will include counter-terror operations, repelling airstrikes, reconnaissance operations and defensive measures, while the second will focus on offensive operations.

India to participate in multi-national war games with Pakistan, China

Russia should allow observers, including Western journalists, to attend upcoming military drills that could again put Ukraine on edge just as Russian President Vlamidir Putin has sharpened his rhetoric, the commander of the US&nbsp;Army in Europe told Reuters.

The comments by lieutenant general Ben Hodges came as Ukraine accuses Russia of amassing more than 40,000 troops in Crimea, a Ukrainian peninsula seized by Moscow in 2014, and on the Ukrainian border.

Ukraine&#39;s UN&nbsp;ambassador Volodymyr Yelchenko warned this week the Russian forces could reflect &quot;some very bad intentions&quot;.

Hodges declined to offer estimates of Russian forces or speculate about Putin&#39;s intentions ahead of pre-announced, large-scale exercises in Russia&#39;s south that are expected to include Crimea.

But he said Russia could help address concerns by following the example of military drills led by the United States and its allies in Europe, to which Russia was allowed to send observers.

&quot;The Russians could really help alleviate and provide some stability if they had invited observers,&quot; Hodges said. &quot;That would do a lot, frankly, to lower anxiety.&quot;

A US&nbsp;intelligence official called the absence of observers at the Russian exercises &quot;a worrisome development that we hope is just an oversight.&quot;

A spokeswoman at US&nbsp;Army in Europe said Russia sent observers to the &quot;Anakonda&quot; exercises in Poland in June, which include some 31,000 forces from countries including Poland, the United States and other NATO allies and partners.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in December that its main military exercise for 2016 would test its Southern Military District troops, which now includes Crimea and Russia&#39;s Black Sea Fleet. It said the drills,&nbsp;called Caucasus-2016 would take place in September.

The Russian Army&#39;s Red Star newspaper in January quoted Colonel-General Alexander Galkin as saying the exercise would check combat readiness and test how air, sea and land forces collaborated together. 
 
&quot;There&#39;s nothing wrong with an exercise. It&#39;s ... the lack of transparency,&quot; Hodges said.

The September exercises appear poised to take place at a moment of rising tensions. Putin this week pledged to take counter-measures against Ukraine after accusing it of sending saboteurs into Crimea to carry out terrorist acts.

At the Pentagon, spokesman Gordon Trowbridge dismissed Russian accusations about Ukrainian saboteurs, saying the United States had no information to support them. He added Washington was less concerned about Russian troop movements than about the rhetoric from Moscow.

&quot;We don&rsquo;t necessarily see any evidence of troop movements that are so large that we are concerned about those on their own,&quot; Trowbridge said.

US&nbsp;officials, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said they saw no firm indications of any new Russian military activity pointing to fresh intervention in Ukraine.

One US&nbsp;official noted a recent rotation of several divisions of Russian forces into Crimea to relieve an equal number, which have since departed.

Pro-Russian separatists are fighting the Kiev government&#39;s forces in the eastern Ukraine region despite a fragile ceasefire. Civilian casualties from shelling, mines and booby traps in eastern Ukraine are at their highest in a year, the United Nations&#39; human rights chief has said.

A peace plan for the eastern Donbass region of Ukraine, negotiated in Minsk between Ukraine and Russia by Germany and France some 18-month ago, has stalled for months.

The Pentagon voiced alarm this week about escalating violence, noting attacks by Pro-Russian separatists killed 40 Ukrainians and wounded 170 in July alone.

Hodges cautioned that Moscow had &quot;no incentive&quot; on its own to see things stabilise in Ukraine. 
 
&quot;That&#39;s why ... the OSCE and the rest of the West and the EU and all have got to maintain pressure,&quot; Hodges said, praising commitments by the United States and its allies during the NATO summit in Warsaw last month. 
 
(Reuters)

Ukraine's UN?ambassador Volodymyr Yelchenko warned this week the Russian forces could reflect 'some very bad intentions'

Russia should allow observers, including Western journalists, to attend upcoming military drills that could again put Ukraine on edge just as Russian President Vlamidir Putin has sharpened his rhetoric, the commander of the US Army in Europe told Reuters. The comments by lieutenant general Ben Hodges came as Ukraine accuses Russia of amassing more than 40,000 troops in Crimea, a Ukrainian peninsula seized by Moscow in 2014, and on the Ukrainian border. Ukraine's UN ambassador Volodymyr Yelchenko warned this week the Russian forces could reflect "some very bad intentions". Hodges declined to offer estimates of Russian forces or speculate about Putin's intentions ahead of pre-announced, large-scale exercises in Russia's south that are expected to include Crimea. But he said Russia could help address concerns by following the example of military drills led by the United States and its allies in Europe, to which Russia was allowed to send observers. "The Russians could really help alleviate and provide some stability if they had invited observers," Hodges said. "That would do a lot, frankly, to lower anxiety." A US intelligence official called the absence of observers at the Russian exercises "a worrisome development that we hope is just an oversight." A spokeswoman at US Army in Europe said Russia sent observers to the "Anakonda" exercises in Poland in June, which include some 31,000 forces from countries including Poland, the United States and other NATO allies and partners. The Russian Defense Ministry said in December that its main military exercise for 2016 would test its Southern Military District troops, which now includes Crimea and Russia's Black Sea Fleet. It said the drills, called Caucasus-2016 would take place in September. The Russian Army's Red Star newspaper in January quoted Colonel-General Alexander Galkin as saying the exercise would check combat readiness and test how air, sea and land forces collaborated together. "There's nothing wrong with an exercise. It's ... the lack of transparency," Hodges said. The September exercises appear poised to take place at a moment of rising tensions. Putin this week pledged to take counter-measures against Ukraine after accusing it of sending saboteurs into Crimea to carry out terrorist acts. At the Pentagon, spokesman Gordon Trowbridge dismissed Russian accusations about Ukrainian saboteurs, saying the United States had no information to support them. He added Washington was less concerned about Russian troop movements than about the rhetoric from Moscow. "We don’t necessarily see any evidence of troop movements that are so large that we are concerned about those on their own," Trowbridge said. US officials, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said they saw no firm indications of any new Russian military activity pointing to fresh intervention in Ukraine. One US official noted a recent rotation of several divisions of Russian forces into Crimea to relieve an equal number, which have since departed. Pro-Russian separatists are fighting the Kiev government's forces in the eastern Ukraine region despite a fragile ceasefire. Civilian casualties from shelling, mines and booby traps in eastern Ukraine are at their highest in a year, the United Nations' human rights chief has said. A peace plan for the eastern Donbass region of Ukraine, negotiated in Minsk between Ukraine and Russia by Germany and France some 18-month ago, has stalled for months. The Pentagon voiced alarm this week about escalating violence, noting attacks by Pro-Russian separatists killed 40 Ukrainians and wounded 170 in July alone. Hodges cautioned that Moscow had "no incentive" on its own to see things stabilise in Ukraine. "That's why ... the OSCE and the rest of the West and the EU and all have got to maintain pressure," Hodges said, praising commitments by the United States and its allies during the NATO summit in Warsaw last month. (Reuters)

US general calls on Russia to allow observers at military drills