Updated By: LatestGKGS Desk
Russia to conduct largest military exercise 'Vostok-2018' in September 2018 Details
Russia to conduct largest military exercise 'Vostok-2018' in September 2018 Details, Highlights
Russia will conduct Vostok-2018 (East-2018) military exercise in central and eastern Russian military districts from 11th September to 15th September 2018.
The Vostok-2018 military exercise will be the biggest war games ever conducted by Russia since Zapad-81 (West-81) exercise conducted by the erstwhile Soviet Union in 1981 which had seen involvement about 100,000 to 150,000 troops.
Vostok-2018 will saw the participation of units from the Russian Army, Air Force, and Navy.
Besides, more than 300,000 troops, 36,000 tanks, armored personnel carriers, armored infantry vehicles, over 1,000 military aircraft, two naval fleets and all its airborne units will participate in this military exercise. China and Mongolia will also participate in Vostok 2018.
Background
Vostok-2018 exercise is being conducted in response to aggressive and unfriendly attitudes towards Russia by NATO and West countries.
Strains between Moscow and NATO had been running high since Russian annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in early 2014 and Russia backed uprising in eastern Ukraine, alleged meddling in US presidential elections of 2016 and nerve agent attack on ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the UK in March 2018, which have resulted in sharp escalations.
NATO has also stepped up the deployment of forces in East Europe and Russia has increased its naval presence in the Mediterranean Sea off Syria. Moreover, the involvement of China will be also significant and also improve Chinese-Russian military relations, as well as prevent Chinese concern about military exercises near their border.
