Russia launches war games with China amid tensions with West

In this handout photo taken from video released by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Monday, Aug. 29, 2022, Chinese soldiers arrive to the Grodekovo railway station to participate in war games drills, in Grodekovo, Primorsky Krai, Russia. Russia said Monday it will launch sweeping war games drills in the country’s east that will involve forces from China — a show of increasingly close military ties between Moscow and Beijing amid tensions with the West over the Kremlin’s action in Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

Russia has launched a week of war games involving forces from China and other nations in a show of growing defence co-operation between Moscow and Beijing as they face tensions with the US.

The manoeuvres are also intended to demonstrate that Moscow has sufficient military might for drills even as its troops are fighting in Ukraine.