Russian President Vladimir Putin was today overseeing huge military exercises within striking distance of Europe, including a beach invasion by the world's largest hovercraft.
Some 2,000 servicemen and more than 200 pieces of military equipment featured in the drill, as troops stormed ashore in a war game in Kaliningrad, on the Russian border with the European Union.
Elsewhere, Putin attended military exercises, which are being jointly held with Belarus, Armenia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia, at the Mulino range in the Nizhny Novgorod region in his role as commander-in-chief of Russia's armed forces.
Nine ranges in Russia, including in the Baltic Sea, and five in Belarus are hosting the joint military exercises which are worrying Ukraine.
In Kaliningrad, footage showed the huge landing exercise involving the Baltic fleets and others on the Zubr-class LCAC, the world's largest hovercraft.
Intended to sealift assault units from vessels to shores, the Soviet-designed hovercraft can also transport and plant naval mines.
Russia, Belarus and others are staging huge military exercises, which included a beach invasion by the world's largest hovercraft (pictured)
Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) was today overseeing huge military exercises at the Mulino range in the Nizhny Novgorod region
Nine ranges in Russia, including in the Baltic Sea, and five in Belarus are hosting the joint military exercises which are worrying Ukraine
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In another video, Russian helicopter gunships were seen in action in the Zapad-2021 large-scale drills evolving 200,000 troops intended to highlight Russia's military readiness to the West - and neighbouring Ukraine
There are just 10 such hovercrafts active at present, two with the Russian navy, four with the Greek navy and four with the Chinese navy.
Before the troops landed, a squad of attack ships launched an artillery barrage along the coast to neutralise defences.
The landings by paratroopers and marines were supported by Su-30SM multirole fighters and Su-24 frontline bombers of the Baltic Fleet.
In another video, Russian helicopter gunships were
