Troops from eight countries have concluded joint military exercises in Russia after conducting coordinated ground and air operations, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported on Saturday.
The Center-2026 strategic military exercise began on Monday in Russia’s Chelyabinsk region, bringing together forces from Russia, China, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan and Tajikistan.
At the Chebarkul training ground, participating troops practised long-distance deployment and joint operational planning before conducting live exercises against simulated enemy targets, according to CCTV.
Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the drills on Friday in the Ural Mountains, where he said the exercise involved 47,000 troops training to repel an attack across 11 firing ranges and in the Caspian Sea.
Putin said about 6,000 troops from Russia and the participating countries took part in the final phase of the exercise at the Chebarkulsky training ground.
China deployed personnel from the People’s Liberation Army’s Central Theater Command, including members of the 82nd Group Army and a combined-arms brigade, CCTV reported.
The exercises highlight military cooperation between Russia and its partners at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions and growing emphasis on joint defence capabilities among participating countries.
