Go to the East side. Russia has started the largest since the Soviet Union military exercise
MOSCOW, 11 Sep — RIA Novosti, Nikolai Protopopov. Three hundred thousand troops, thirty-six thousand tanks, armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, thousands of aircraft and helicopters, and nearly a hundred ships in Russia will start exercises “Vostok-2018”, the largest in the modern history of the country.
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Comparable in scale maneuvers in the Soviet Union conducted about forty years ago. During the week, troops will practice the application of massive air strikes, to combat cruise missiles, amphibious and air landing operations and actions of mobile groups in the deep rear of the enemy.
Most dynamic events unfold on one of the largest polygons of Transbaikalia Tsugol. Here to deliver more than seven thousand pieces of weapons, military and special equipment, about 250 aircraft and helicopters. The staff did their best to complicate the task of the participants — they will have to act fast and constantly changing situation, to take prompt and innovative solutions. In particular, the troops will work for mobile defense, learn to destroy the enemy artillery fire and aircraft of army aviation. Wider use of robotics and unmanned aerial vehicles.
According to the defense Ministry, in the exercise “Vostok-2018” includes almost all available in the Arsenal of the Russian army weapons and military equipment, including missile complexes “Iskander”, tanks T-72 with improved characteristics and T-90. In addition, in close to combat conditions tankers break in the modernized T-80БВМ.News
Air troops will cover the su-34 multifunctional fighter su-35 attack helicopters Mi-28 and Mi-35 helicopters, strategic bombers Tu-95MS and far Tu-22M3. On the operational airfields deployed su-24 bombers, fighter-interceptors MiG-31BM and su-25 of the Chelyabinsk region, Perm and Krasnoyarsk territories. The exercise will take into account the combat experience in Syria.
Part of the Maritime maneuvers practiced by the crews of the Pacific and Northern fleets — a total of about 80 ships and support vessels. In the waters of the Okhotsk sea and northwestern Pacific, the crews of the ships will reflect the impacts of air attack, will cause retaliatory attacks on naval groups, including with the use of rocket complexes “Caliber” and will work the protection of the coast in the amphibious landing of the enemy. Planes and helicopters of naval aviation, in turn, will support offensive ground units from the air, dealing massive missile and bomb strikes.
Exercises “Vostok-2018” deployed on the nine grounds in the waters of the Bering and Okhotsk seas, Avachinsky and Kronotsky bays. Machinery had to be moved to a distance of seven thousand miles by land and air, and warships mezhflotskoy made transitions with a length of up to four thousand miles. Bilateral maneuvers, and scenario created by the two opposing factions — the Central military district and the Northern fleet to confront the troops of the Eastern military district and Pacific fleet ships.
In addition, the exercises involved military units of the people’s liberation army of China and Armed forces of Mongolia, which operate in the same combat formations with Russian servicemen. So, in Russia there arrived three and a half thousand Chinese military with equipment and weapons.News
According to the chief of the General staff army General Valery Gerasimov, so large-scale manoeuvres on the territory of the Russian Federation were not carried out before. The main difference between these exercises from the previous one — the participation of several military districts. “Strategic exercises are usually held, with one military district on one strategic direction under the supervision of the chief of the General staff, the General explained. — Maneuvers — in several strategic areas, attended by several military districts in this case, Central and Eastern military districts, the Pacific and Northern fleet, parts of the Central government, and directs the maneuvers of the Minister of defense.”
The closest in scale maneuvers can be considered the exercises “West-81”, which was conducted almost four decades ago in the Belarusian, Kiev and the Baltic military districts and the Baltic sea. Then 20 divisions — over one hundred thousand people, more than a thousand planes and helicopters operated on an area of 650 by 550 kilometres.
Like most major doctrines of the Russian army, “Vostok-2018” attracts the attention of the military and political leadership of Western countries. Although everything happens in Russia and is purely defensive in character, NATO’s statements on alleged preparations for a major conflict. The Ministry of foreign Affairs of Russia said that the exercises are far from the NATO countries and their security are not affected.
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Moreover, they are transparent for observation of the invited foreign military attaches. Confirmed participation by more than 90 observers from 57 countries, a Military liaison mission of NATO and the Permanent mission of the European Union to the Russian Federation. According to Gerasimov, in the maneuvers “Vostok-2018” no sensation: “Nothing special, just turn came. This annual cycle of training of the Armed forces, and this year decided to combine the two military districts”.
The staff noted that all the warring States in the framework of maneuvers, the conditional, the exercises correspond to the Russian Military doctrine and is aimed at increasing the level of field, air and sea training of the personnel. Main task is to simulate the troops in the East and in the operationally important marine and ocean areas.
