Chinese troops to take part in Russia’s Kavkaz 2020 military exercises

Name: Russia kicks off Kavkaz 2020 military exercises with China, Iran, Belarus and others
Uploaded: 2020-09-10T14:00:11.000Z
Duration: 2 min 28 s
Description: Russia kicks off Kavkaz 2020 military exercises with China, Iran, Belarus and others

Contingent will be drawn from the PLA’s Western Theatre Command, whose jurisdiction encompasses China’s troubled border with India, Beijing says

New Delhi withdrew from the 10-nation exercise over the recent flare-up on the disputed border, according to media reports

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Troops from 10 nations will take part in the Kavkaz 2020 military exercises in Russia later this month. Photo: Handout

Catherine Wong

Published: 10:00pm, 10 Sep 2020Updated: 9:29pm, 24 Sep 2020

Chinese and Russian troops will join forces with those from eight other nations later this month for a week-long military drill in southern Russia, Beijing said on Thursday.

The Kavkaz 2020 maritime and land exercises – Russia’s largest this year – would take place in the Astrakhan region, and the Black and Caspian seas from September 21 to 26, the defence ministry said.

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Russia kicks off Kavkaz 2020 military exercises with China, Iran, Belarus and others

The Chinese contingent would be drawn from the People’s Liberation Army’s Western Theatre Command, whose jurisdiction encompasses the country’s troubled border with India. As well as ground troops, it would encompass armoured vehicles and light weaponry, which would be flown direct to the drill locations, it said.

The exercises would focus on defensive tactics, joint attack, encirclement, and battlefield control and command, the ministry said.

They were not directed at any third party or related to recent developments in the region, but instead designed to “move forward the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership … deepen practical cooperation in military training … and enhance the capacity of multinational forces to jointly respond to security threats, and safeguard regional peace and stability”, it said.