The Russian Defense Ministry has carried out serious preparatory work for the Vostok-2018 military drills, which will involve 297,000 troops, Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov said Thursday, providing a more accurate number of participating servicemen.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th September, 2018) The Russian Defense Ministry has carried out serious preparatory work for the Vostok-2018 military drills, which will involve 297,000 troops, Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov said Thursday, providing a more accurate number of participating servicemen.
Vostok-2018, set to become the largest military exercises held by Russia in over 30 years, are scheduled for September 11-17 at five ranges in the east of Russia, and in the waters of the Sea of Japan, Bering Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk. According to previous estimates, about 300,000 troops were set to participate in the maneuvers. The drills have gained an international status, with troops from China and Mongolia set to take part in one of the stages.
"The drills will involve troops from the Eastern and Central Military Districts, the Northern Fleet and the Airborne Troops, as well as some units of the long-range, military-transport and operational-tactical aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces. A total of 297,000 servicemen, over 1,000 aircraft, helicopters and drones, up to 36,000 tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers and other vehicles, up to 80 ships and support vessels will be involved in the maneuvers," Gerasimov told a briefing for defense attaches.
Gerasimov added that modernized and new military equipment, including tanks, aircraft and ships, would be actively involved in the drills.
"We have presented this military equipment at the maneuvers. This includes the military equipment of the Land Forces, Aerospace Forces and the Navy, in particular upgraded T-72 tanks with improved characteristics, upgraded T-80 tanks and new T-90 tanks ... new Su-34 and Su-35 fighter jets, Mi-28 and Mi-35 attack helicopters," the General Staff chief said.
Gerasimov also noted the involvement of modernized Iskander tactical ballistic missile systems and warships armed with Kalibr cruise missiles.
According to Gerasimov, Mongolian and Chinese troops are currently finishing joint training activities at the Tsugol range.
The chief of the General Staff said that the exercises were preceded by a full cycle of preparatory measures, including sudden checks, as well as command and staff training. For example, a surprise inspection of the Northern Fleet took place in mid-August, while similar inspections of the Central and Eastern military districts happened later that month.
"The main goal of the Vostok-2018 maneuvers is to check how prepared troops actually were, something which can be only assessed during the exercises of an appropriate scale. These maneuvers, which will be conducted on a bilateral basis, are the best way of verifying the combat skills of field, air and sea troops of military districts," he stressed.
Earlier in the day, media reported, citing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, that Russian President Vladimir Putin would attend the upcoming drills to supervise one of the stages.
