On 12 September Russia's Ministry of Defence (MoD) gave partial details of the types of units and equipment involved in the ‘Vostok (East) 2018’ exercise, which is taking place in eastern Russia on 11-15 September.
More than 2,000 motor rifle troops and 500 vehicles, including T-72B3 main battle tanks, BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), and BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launchers from the Central Military District (CMD), have been railed to the Tsugol range in the Buryatia Republic close to China and Mongolia. The CMD has also sent 60 fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft to airbases in eastern Russia, including Mi-24 gunships, Mi-26 heavy transport helicopters, and Mi-8AMTSh-V transport-attack helicopters.
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Russia's 'Vostok 2018' exercises, which took place this month across a vast expanse of Russian territory, were certainly designed to wow the West, but what can be gleaned from the manoeuvres regarding Moscow's military capabilities and strategic intent? Miko Vranic and Samuel Cranny-Evans report
