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Russia was set to begin its largest military exercise since the Cold War on Tuesday, involving more than 300,000 military personnel, including forces from neighbouring China and Mongolia.
The planned week-long manoeuvres will be the largest since 1981, according to Russiaโs Defence Ministry.
Chinaโs participation in the exercises, known as the Vostok drills, exemplifies an overall expansion of collaboration with Russia as an ally, the Kremlin has said.
Russia and China are among the founding members of a Eurasian security and economic alliance, the Shanghai, a cooperation organisation formed in 2001.