Satellite images show hundreds of Putin’s tanks, helicopters and planes as Russia holds its biggest war games in three decades
- Russia is conducting its largest war games in three decades in Siberia involving thousands of vehicles
- Satellite images show war machines on manoeuvers under the watchful eye of President Vladimir Putin
- Helicopters buzz across fields filled with armoured vehicles as planes drop supplies on Tsugol training ground
- Games have now entered their fourth day and are due to continue across five grounds until September 17
Russia is in the midst of conducting the largest war games since the fall of the Soviet Union, with hundreds of planes, tanks and vehicles captured on manoeuvers via satellite.
Fascinating satellite images released by Digital Globe show aircraft dropping vehicles attached to huge parachutes over the Tsugol training ground on Thursday, as Vladimir Putin watched on.
Another image shows dozens of helicopters, their rotor blades frozen in frame, hovering over a field in perfect formation, while a several more show vehicles lined up on a parade ground.
Ilyushin Il-76 transport planes are seen from space as they drop BDM-3 armoured vehicles from huge parachutes during the third day of Russia’s Vostok 2018 war games in Siberia
One of the transport planes is seen to the left of the frame with a vehicle in the air just behind it as the parachute deploys. To the bottom right of the frame is a vehicle suspended from its fully open parachutes, while to the far right parachutes lie on the ground after a vehicle has touched down
More than a dozen helicopters are seen flying in formation across the Tsugol training ground, near Russia’s border with China, as they go on manoeuvres under the eye of Putin
Dozens of Russian and Chinese transports, armoured vehicles and tanks are seen lining up ahead of a parade that was watched by Putin and senior Chinese officials
In total 36,000 Russian and Chinese vehicles are taking part in the games, which has been described by Beijing as their largest-ever overseas deployment for training exercises
The games – which follow on from the large-scale Zapad drills in Belarus last year – are designed as a show of strength between Moscow and Beijing amid heightened tensions with the West
Vostok 2018 – which means East 2018 in English – involves a total of 300,000 troops, 36,000 vehicles and 1,000 aircraft and is taking place from September 11 until September 17 in eastern Siberia.
Significantly, Russian soldiers are being joined by their counterparts from China and Mongolia for large parts of the exercises.
Thursday marked the most active stage of the drills, and President Putin flew out to personally oversee them before being treated to a military parade.
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Speaking at a firing range in the Chita region on Thursday, the Russian president lauded the troops for their ‘high-level’ performance and insisted the drills are not targeted at any other country.
‘Russia is a peaceful nation,’ Mr Putin said. ‘We do not and cannot have any aggressive plans.’
More than 3,000 Chinese troops have joined the Russian military in the manoeuvres aimed to showcase burgeoning military ties between Moscow and Beijing amid heightened tensions with the West.
The Chinese media described the People’s Liberation Army involvement in the drills as the country’s largest ever dispatch of forces abroad for war games.
Ilyushin Il-76 transport planes drop BDM-2 vehicles attached to giant parachutes, as seen from below
BDM-3s are infantry fighting vehicles which are designed to carry troops into battle before providing supporting fire using their large turret gun and anti-tank missiles
Russian Mil Mi-17 transport helicopters fly in formation over the Tsugol training ground, as seen from below
Russian attack helicopters take part in the Vostok Games on Thursday, which was the most active day of exercises
A huge array of Russian and Chinese tanks, armoured vehicles, mobile artillery pieces and transports during the Vostok drills
Chinese soldiers stand to attention beside Type-04 infantry fighting vehicles, which are similar to the Russian BDM-3s
Russian T-72B tanks are seen during the parade. The square pieces of armour seen on the outside are actually explosives which are designed to deflect the blast from incoming shells
The games follow on from the Zapad 2017 exercises – which means West 2017 – because they took place on the territory of Russia’s western ally, Belarus.
The exercises also cap decades of increased military spending in which Putin has modernised Russia’s military.
The government has increased military spending every year since 1998, with the exception of 2017 when it fell due to an economic crisis, in an effort to update Soviet-era systems by 2025.
That has included developing a new battle tank – the T-14 Armata – alongside state-of-the-art nuclear missiles dubbed Satan 2 by NATO.
Russia also plans to develop a new generation of aircraft carriers to replace its one ageing ship, the Admiral Kuznetsov, and was working towards a new stealth fighter – the SU-57 – though it is unclear if this will see service.
Russian (top), Chinese (middle) and Mongolian (bottom) vehicles line up side-by-side as they take part in the games
Troop transports flying the flags of Russia (near), China (middle) and Monglia (far) parade past Vladimir Putin
Russian 2S19 Msta self-propelled artillery pieces form up as crew members salute Putin during the Vostok games
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