MAGADAN, September 16. /TASS/. Russia demonstrates openness and invites observers and journalists to its military exercises to show its peacefulness and "tame the ardor" of its partners, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said in an interview with the Rossiya-1 television channel.
He stressed that Russia’s military doctrine is purely defensive and the drills in conducts vividly demonstrate that Russia is not planning to attack anyone. "[Drills] does not even have elements suggesting any offensive actions in a foreign country, which cannot be said about our Western partners when they dress in the Russian military uniform, recruit Russian-speaking players and so on. Obviously, it does no credit to our neighbors but speaks much about what we should get prepared to," he said.
According to the Russian defense minister, the Russian army demonstrates openness not only at exhibitions. "Moreover, if you remember, at the instruction from our president we conducted a big conference, where the press was also invited, to sum up the results of the operation in Syria and the key results were the performances of our weapons. We concealed nothing and said that serious drawbacks were exposed in some of them. We had to withdraw from service some weapons to upgrade them," Shoigu noted.
"Because when those invited to such drills and those who see what we show, they understand that we have an efficient army and, I think, it somewhat tames their ardor," he said.
Summing-up drills
The results of the Vostok-2018 military exercises will be summed up under the supervision of Supreme Commander-in-Chief, Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"Naturally, we are yet to analyze the drills. I think the results will be announced in October because such analysis is done under the supervision of the supreme commander-in-chief," he said, adding that Putin took part at all the stages of the drills, starting from their planning.
"The plan was endorsed by the supreme commander-in-chief and his participation in these exercises, naturally, was not limited to a visit to the Tsugol firing range. His participations was much more profound because the part of the drill that was shown on TV, it was only the top of what really took place," Shoigu said.
The large-scale Vostok-2018 exercises are running on September 11-17 under the command of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on the soil and in the waters of Russia’s Far East and in the neighboring waters of the Pacific Ocean. A total of 300,000 Russian servicemen are taking part in the maneuvers, as well as more than 1,000 planes, helicopters and drones, along with as many as 36,000 tanks, armored fighting vehicles and other vehicles, and up to 80 ships and support vessels.
The large-scale Vostok-2018 exercises are running on September 11-17 under the command of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on the soil and in the waters of Russia’s Far East and in the neighboring waters of the Pacific Ocean. A total of 300,000 Russian servicemen are taking part in the maneuvers, as well as more than 1,000 planes, helicopters and drones, along with as many as 36,000 tanks, armored fighting vehicles and other vehicles, and up to 80 ships and support vessels.