Chris Lange, FISM News

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Russian President Vladimir Putin smiled and joked with his defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, on Tuesday as he observed military exercises in Russia’s far east on the sixth day of the “Vostok” war games with China and India.

Russia released a video of its Pacific Fleet firing test launches of its Kalibr cruise missiles Tuesday, stating that it successfully struck a target more than 184 miles away. A day prior, Russian and Chinese combat ships practiced repelling an enemy attack using air defense systems. Warships from the two countries also carried out anti-ship, anti-air, and anti-submarine exercises last week in the Sea of Japan. 

With the joint exercises, Putin “appeared to be sending a signal that Russia’s military is able to conduct business as usual despite the demands of the Ukraine war, where his forces have suffered heavy losses in men and equipment while being fought to a virtual standstill after occupying around a fifth of the country,” Reuters stated. 

Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced a “no limits” partnership in February, ahead of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, as the two vowed to work together against perceived threats from Western powers. Meanwhile, India moved forward with the war games despite concerns expressed by the US over its participation in the maneuvers, largely because Russia is their biggest supplier of military hardware.

Military contingents and observers from Algeria, Laos, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Syria, and six former Soviet republics also participated in the Vostok games, according to Russian authorities.

Japan has objected to the military exercises which are being held on Russian-held islands claimed by Japan, according to an Associated Press report. Of particular concern are shooting drills that are taking place between Russian and Chinese warships off Japan’s northern coast, an official said Monday.