President Vladimir Putin yesterday warned the United States against trying to outgun Moscow in Asia as Russian and Chinese warships held joint drills as part of the biggest Russian naval exercises since the Soviet era.
Putin said the wider “Ocean-2024” strategic exercise would be conducted from the Mediterranean to the Pacific and would test units’ combat-readiness and the use of high-precision weapons, including promising new types.
“We pay special attention to strengthening military cooperation with friendly states,” he told military officials in televised remarks at the launch of the manoeuvres.
Putin said Russia should be ready for any developments and would keep strengthening its naval forces, including their nuclear component, in the face of what he described as an arms race driven by Washington.
“Under the pretext of countering the allegedly existing Russian threat and containing the People’s Republic of China, the United States and its satellites are increasing their military presence near Russia’s western borders, in the Arctic, and in the Asia-Pacific region,” he said.
“They are openly declaring their plans to deploy medium- and shorter-range missiles in the so-called forward zones.”
“With its aggressive actions, the United States is trying to achieve a tangible military advantage, thereby breaking the existing security architecture and balance of power in the Asia-Pacific region,” Putin said.
China’s Xinhua said the aim was to deepen “the level of strategic coordination between the Chinese and Russian militaries and enhance their ability to jointly respond to security threats”.
