British media alarmed by Putin’s smile at military exercises

The British newspaper Mirror took the reaction of Russian President Vladimir Putin to the report of Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov as a signal to the West. According to the author of the material, the smile of the president is nothing more than a message that the Russian army is ready to work as usual, despite the special operation in Ukraine. About 50,000 military personnel are participating in the Vostok-2022 exercises, including from CSTO countries, China, India, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nicaragua and Syria.

A video released from an observation post at the Sergeevsky training ground shows how Putin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu smilingly reacted to Yevkurov’s report to Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov.

“During the Vostok-2022 exercises, Putin made it clear that the Russian army is continuing to operate as usual, while at the same time participating in a special military operation in Ukraine,” the observer said.

At the end of the exercise on September 7, Yevkurov said that the objectives of the exercise had been clarified. fully achieved.

“We have a clear understanding of what we must do today and what we must strive for tomorrow to reliably ensure the military security of our states. “I believe that the objectives of the exercise have been fully achieved,” he said.

About Western “sinister” teachings

The British Daily Express, in an August 31 article, evaluated the upcoming exercises of Russia and other countries as follows: Demonstration of close military cooperation between Russia and China and a response to Western support for Ukraine and Taiwan.

Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping are preparing to recruit 50,000 troops within 48 hours, sending an ominous threat to the West.

According to the author, the Kremlin perceives the arms supply to Ukraine and the Taiwan visit of the Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi as follows: “American is trying to provoke global instability”.

“The announced exercises have raised fears that Moscow and Beijing may form a formal military alliance,” the article’s author said.

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said on August 30 that the United States is concerned about India’s involvement in Russian exercises in the Far East. However, he noted: The decision to participate in the maneuvers rests with the countries themselves..

Asked about New Delhi’s participation in joint exercises with Moscow, he said, “The United States is concerned about any country holding exercises with Russia.”

The American edition of Army Times on August 30 considered the maneuvers to strengthen military cooperation between Moscow and Beijing on the backdrop of a special operation in Ukraine. The publication noted that China did not respond to Russia’s actions in Ukraine and criticized the sanctions against the Russian Federation. On the other hand, Russia “strongly supported China due to the tensions with the United States after the visit of US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan.”

Dissatisfaction with the exercises was voiced in Tokyo.

“We objected to the Russian side through diplomatic channels because it did not coincide with our position on these islands. “We also strongly demanded that the four northern islands (as they are called the Kuril Islands in Japan) be removed from the exercise area,” said Hirokazu Matsuno, Secretary General of the Japanese Cabinet.

Content of the Exercises

Strategic exercises “Vostok-2022” were held from September 1-7 at seven training sites of the Eastern Military District, more than 5,000 weapons and military equipment participated in them, including 140 aircraft, 60 warships, boats and support ships . Operational command and control groups, military units and observers of CSTO, SCO and other partner states, in particular Azerbaijan, Algeria, Armenia, Belarus, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Laos, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Syria and Tajikistan.

Alexander Fomin, Deputy Head of the Ministry of Defense of Russia, said in a previous statement, maneuvers are defensive in nature. According to Fomin, the priority when developing the concept of the exercise was the phased study of options for the actions of the troops to ensure the military security of Russia and its allies in the area of ​​​​responsibility of the Eastern Military District (VVO). ).

“The exercise is not aimed at any particular state or military alliance and is purely defensive in nature,” he said.

The Chinese military sent more than 2,000 soldiers and officers, as well as more than 300 pieces of equipment, to the exercises. From the Chinese side, ground forces, Navy and Northern Combat Command Area Air Force participate in the maneuvers. The PLA contingent included about 300 ground vehicles, 21 aircraft and helicopters, as well as three warships.

September 6 corvette “Thunder” solved the destruction of the target ship and opened fire with the Caliber missile system From a distance of more than 300 km in the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bOkhotsk.

“This is the first time such a shooting has been carried out in the Russian Navy,” said the Ministry of Defense.

Also, as part of the exercise, the ships of the Pacific Fleet and the Chinese Navy, as part of a joint detachment, repelled a false enemy air attack by firing artillery at air targets from standard air defense systems.

Also, during exercise, Group launch of missiles of the Iskander-M complex.

“In order to gain superiority of fire, disrupt the command and control system of troops and weapons, and create conditions for bringing the second echelon of the strike group into battle, the headquarters of the coalition troops (forces) decided. make a massive fire attack on command points and important objects of the “enemy” using a group missile launch of the Iskander-M operational-tactical complex, ”the military department said.