The Sino-Russian “Zapad/Interaction-2021” joint military exercise will be held on August 9 at the Qingtongxia Combined-arms Tactical Training Base in Ningxia, the hinterland of China. According to the announcement of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Russian officers and soldiers will learn to use the weapons and equipment provided by the People’s Liberation Army for the first time in the preparation phase of the joint exercise.
The Russian Ministry of Defense issued a press release on August 3, announcing that the officers and soldiers of the Russian air defense forces who are preparing to participate in the “Zapad/Interaction-2021” are learning to drive the medium wheeled combat vehicles and armored vehicles provided by the Chinese army, and use equipment from China. The Russian side stated that this is the first time that officers and soldiers of the Eastern Russian Military Region have mastered the PLA’s modern weapons and equipment.
It was reported that the relevant Russian training is carried out with the direct participation of the PLA Army instructors. In order to master Chinese weapons and equipment, Russian officers and soldiers need to learn in multiple stages, including theoretical training, electronic simulator classes, and actual driving and shooting, as well as independent training and group training. Subsequently, China and Russia will carry out actual training, and the aviation units of both sides will also participate.
In the “Caucasus-2020” strategic exercise held in Russia in September 2020, the Chinese participating troops used the Russian main battle equipment for the first time in a joint exercise, including T-72B3 tanks, BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles, Igra-S air defense missiles and other weapons and equipment.
At a regular press conference of the Chinese Ministry of Defense on July 29, spokesman Senior Colonel Wu Qian said that according to the exercise program, the subject of the exercise is joint maintenance of regional security and stability. The Chinese and Russian sides will set up a joint command, with the Chinese participating troops mainly from the Western Theater of China and the Russian armed forces mainly from the Eastern Military District of Russia, with a total of more than 10,000 troops from both sides and multiple types of aircraft, artillery and armored equipment.
And the purpose of this exercise is to consolidate and develop a comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between China and Russia in the new era, deepen the pragmatic cooperation and traditional friendship between the two militaries, and further demonstrate the determination and ability of both sides to combat terrorist forces and jointly maintain regional peace and security.