Russia and Belarus have alarmed NATO with huge war games featuring 200,000 troops, months after a military build-up by Ukraine nearly sparked a crisis.
In Putin's new challenge to the West, the two states formally opened vast joint military drills on Thursday, a week-long exercise across the territory of both countries and in the Baltic Sea that has alarmed some NATO countries.
The active part of the exercise, which comes at a time of heightened tensions between the West and Belarus due to a crackdown on the opposition there, begins today and will run until September 16.
Officials say the exercises do not envisage specific countries as adversaries.
But the chief of Belarus' general staff, Major-General Viktor Gulevich, said the exercises should be a 'signal' to the West of the 'futility' to taking 'a position of strength' with the two countries.
The Russian defence ministry said up to 200,000 military personnel, some 80 aircraft and helicopters, up to 15 ships and nearly 300 tanks would take part. The drills will involve live fire and mark the culmination of a bigger three-month exercise.
The drills have alarmed NATO because Belarus is part of quasi buffer zone between Europe and Russia, bordering the country to the east.
Russia and Belarus have alarmed NATO with huge war games featuring 200,000 troops and including servicemen from Collective Security Treaty Organisation states such as Kyrgyzstan (pictured, Kyrgyz soldiers)
In Putin's new challenge to the West, Belarus and Russia formally opened vast joint military drills with Kyrgyzstan and other states on Thursday, a week-long exercise across the territory of both countries and in the Baltic Sea that has alarmed some NATO countries
The mass military drills will involve live fire and mark the culmination of a bigger three-month exercise, in a move that has alarmed NATO
Russian soldiers prepare for huge joint war games with Belarus involving 200,000 troops, in a move that has alarmed NATO months after a military build-up by Ukraine nearly sparked a crisis
Russian military tank operators take part in an opening ceremony parade ahead of joint war games with Belarus. The active part of the exercise begins today and will run until September 16
Officials said the exercises do not envisage specific countries as adversaries, but called the drills, which will include at least 15 naval ships (pictured, warships Zelenyi Dol and Mytishchi leaving port on Thursday), a 'signal' to the West
In Putin's new challenge to the West, Russia and Belarus formally opened vast joint military drills on Thursday, culminating in a live fire exercise on September 16
The drills have alarmed NATO because Belarus is part of quasi buffer zone between Europe and Russia, bordering the country to the east
Top military leaders from the two countries attended the opening ceremony of the war games, called 'Zapad-2021', in western Russia where flags were raised and speeches given.
Military personnel from Armenia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia will participate too, the Russian defence ministry said.
NATO officials have warned that the drills, which follow a huge Russian military buildup on Ukraine's borders earlier this year, increase the risk of an accident or miscalculation that could touch off a crisis.
Russian Deputy Defence Minister Nikolai Pankov said the drills were purely defensive in nature and would give Moscow and Minsk a chance to improve the way their respective militaries work together.
A Kyrgyzstan's soldier shoots from a portable air-defence system during a joint military exercises with Belarus and Russia at the Edelweiss training ground near the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek
A Russian serviceman takes part in the joint military exercises with Russia, Belarus, and the Collective Security Treaty Organization on the Edelweiss training ground near Iissyk Kul lake
Kyrgyz servicemen attend the Collective Security Treaty Organization joint military exercises with Russia and Belarus on the Edelweiss training ground near Iissyk Kul lake
A Kyrgyz soldier takes cover during huge joint military drills with Russia and Belarus, in Putin's latest challenge to the West
Kyrgyzstan soldiers fire from an anti-aircraft weapon during a joint military exercises at the Edelweiss training ground, near Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Russian servicemen take part in joint military drills with Belarus and other Collective Security Treaty Organisation states on September 9, in a move that has alarmed NATO
