The Russian Defense Ministry announced, on Sunday, that the Russian army will perform nine international exercises this year.
 
"As part of international military cooperation, in 2023 it is planned to conduct joint exercises with units of the ground forces of the Russian armed forces and units of the national armies of foreign states. Outside Russia, a joint exercise of the CSTO [Collective Security Treaty Organization] peacekeeping contingents ‘Indestructible Brotherhood-2023’ will be held on the territory of Armenia," the Ministry stated.

In addition, the Ministry noted that eight bilateral exercises are scheduled to take place in Russia's military districts' training sites. According to the Ministry, these exercises include the Russian-Indian Indra-2023 drills, the joint military anti-terrorist command and staff exercises of Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states Peace Mission-2023, the joint Russian-Lao military exercises, the joint Russian-Pakistani exercises Friendship-2023, and the Russian-Algerian exercises.

Furthermore, there will also be exercises with units of the Central Asian collective security region Frontier-2023, the Russian-Mongolian exercises Selenga-2023, and the Russian-Vietnamese exercises.

The drills will also work out the protocol for interaction between representatives of the headquarters and units of the militaries of the participating nations, as well as tactical actions to eliminate illegitimate armed formations, according to the Ministry.

All maneuvers will be peacekeeping and anti-terrorist, the Ministry announced.

China, Russia to hold joint naval drills: WSJ

The Wall Street Journal said on December 19 that Russia and China will initiate naval drills from 21 December to 27 December in the waters of the East China Sea, as per statements issued by the Russian Ministry of Defense. 

The report stated that the drills are intended to bolster the relations between the two countries given the context in which the West isolated Russia. 

But considering the defiance of the Global South in abiding by sanctions against Russia, it is clear that Russia is not isolated, and considering that these drills have been happening on a yearly basis since 2012, there is really nothing new about the headlines. 

The Russian Ministry of Defense said that a detachment of Russian Pacific Fleet ships left the port of Vladivostok to participate in the Russian-Chinese exercise.

The goal is to strengthen naval cooperation between Russia and China and to maintain peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Russian Pacific Fleet will be represented by the Varyag missile cruiser, the Pacific Fleet’s flagship, as well as by the Marshal Shaposhnikov frigate and Project 20380 corvettes Hero of the Russian Federation Aldar Tsydenzhapov and the Sovershenny.

"The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy will send two destroyers, two patrol ships, an integrated supply ship and a diesel submarine to take part in the exercise," the Russian Defense Ministry added.

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