MOSCOW – Russia will hold wide-ranging military drills in the country’s east as it continues regular troop training despite the action in Ukraine, Russia’s military authorities said Tuesday.
The Russian Defense Ministry said that the Vostok 2022 (East 2022) exercise scheduled for Aug. 30-Sept. 5 will involve troops on maneuvers at 13 firing ranges of the Eastern Military District.
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It added that units of Airborne troops, long-range bombers and military cargo planes will also be involved in the war games.
The ministry said troops from unspecified foreign countries will participate. Russian and Chinese troops took part in a series of joint military maneuvers last year, reflecting increasingly close military ties between Moscow and Beijing.
The ministry rejected allegations that it's mobilizing forces to beef up the its forces in Ukraine, noting that “only part of the Russian military has been involved in the special military operation.”
Without disclosing details, the ministry said the number of troops operating in Ukraine are “quite sufficient for fulfilling the tasks” and emphasized that the military hasn't canceled any of the planned drills.
Moscow hasn’t said how many of it’s million-soldier military are involved in action in Ukraine.