Russia to perform significant military drills in the country's east from Aug 30 to Sept 5

The Russian defence ministry has announced that Moscow aims to conduct strategic military drills in the country's east beginning next month. Notably, the place thousands of kilometres from the conflict it is waging in Ukraine. The "Vostok" (East) exercises will take place from August 30 to September 5.

The message from Russian Foreign Ministry seem to be designed to convey the idea that despite its expensive five-month conflict in Ukraine, Russia is still committed to defending its entire territory and is capable of maintaining "business as usual" from a military perspective.

The ministry emphasised in a statement that its ability to conduct these drills was unaffected by what it refers to as its "special military operation" in Ukraine. According to the statement, all essential troops, weapons, and equipment would be provided for the exercises, and Russia had not cancelled any training exercises or foreign cooperation.

"We draw your attention to the fact that only a part of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is involved in the special military operation (in Ukraine), the number of which is quite sufficient to fulfil all the tasks set by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. Some foreign media were spreading false information about “some kind of alleged mobilisation activities," the official statement read.

Putin has not ordered mobilisation of the country's reserves

Further, despite Russia's massive losses and poor progress in Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin has not ordered the mobilisation of the country's reserves, which are expected to number around two million personnel who have served in the military in the last five years. The ministry stressed that the military hasn't cancelled any of the scheduled drills and claimed that the number of troops present in Ukraine is "absolutely sufficient for executing the tasks."

According to US estimates, 15,000 Russian troops have died in Ukraine since February, which is more than the Soviet army lost during a decade-long war there that began in 1979. Moreover, US CIA Director William Burns suggested that three times as many Russian troops may have been injured in the war.

The future training sessions will be held in the eastern military area, which encompasses a portion of Siberia and has its main office in Khabarovsk, not far from the Chinese border. The Eastern Military District's 13 firing ranges will be used for the drill, according to the Russian Ministry of Defence. The war simulations will also include units of airborne troops, long-range bombers, and military transport planes, according to the statement.

Image: AP