 "Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are seen at the Victory Day parade in Moscow, Russia. (Sergei Bobylyov/Reuters)")
The Russian and Chinese navies are holding joint artillery and anti-submarine exercises in the Sea of Japan, Russia’s Pacific Fleet has said. The move comes just two days after Donald Trump announced he had ordered two US nuclear submarines to be deployed.
The manoeuvres, part of the “Maritime Interaction-2025” drills, involve a large Russian anti-submarine ship, two Chinese destroyers, diesel-electric submarines from both countries and a Chinese submarine rescue vessel, according to Interfax news agency.
The exercises, which began before Trump’s announcement, are scheduled to conclude on Tuesday (August 5).
What do the drills involve?
Russian and Chinese sailors will carry out artillery firing, practise anti-submarine and air defence missions, and conduct joint search and rescue operations at sea, the Pacific Fleet said.
The drills are the latest in a series of regular military exercises between the two countries, which signed a “no-limits” strategic partnership shortly before Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
Moscow and Beijing have increasingly coordinated their armed forces in recent years, seeking to send a deterrent message to western adversaries.
The significance of the timing of drills
US President Donald Trump on Friday (August 1) said he had ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned in “the appropriate regions” in response to remarks from former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev about the risk of war between the nuclear-armed adversaries.
Trump’s comments on Friday about deploying US nuclear submarines came after former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev made “highly provocative” remarks about the risk of war between the nuclear powers. Russia and the US possess the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals, and it is extremely rare for either side to reveal details about submarine deployments.
The timing of the joint drills is likely to be seen as symbolic, even though they were planned in advance. They come amid mounting tension between Washington and Moscow, as Trump grows increasingly frustrated with the lack of progress in ending the war in Ukraine.