QINGTONGXIA PRACTICE RANGE /China/, August 13. /TASS/. Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu highly commended the Sibu/Interaction 2021 joint Russia-China strategic drills whose active phase took place at the Qingtongxia training ground in northern China on August 12.

The Russian defense chief noted the troops’ coherent operations and the high professionalism of the participants in the joint maneuvers and awarded the personnel who had distinguished themselves during the drills.

During the active phase of the drills, the troops from Russia and China conducted joint reconnaissance, searched for and detected the notional enemy, carried out a ground and air counter-terror operation with an airborne assault and the seizure of terrorists’ strongholds to create favorable conditions for a joint offensive.

The Sibu-Interaction 2021 joint operational and strategic maneuvers also practiced troop logistics support and firing missions with the employment of aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.

The joint maneuvers that kicked off on August 9 brought together over 10,000 troops. In particular, the drills involved 200 pieces of the armor, 90 artillery guns, over 100 fixed-and rotary-wing aircraft, and units of the Chinese Army and Air Force. Russia was represented in the drills by motor rifle units of a military formation of the Eastern Military District, Su-30SM aircraft of the District’s Air Force and Air Defense Army, and officers of military command centers.

The drills were held in compliance with the accords reached between the defense ministries of Russia and China. The maneuvers were designed to demonstrate the resolve and ability to develop Russian-Chinese relations, comprehensive partnership, and strategic interaction, build up military cooperation and friendship between the armed forces of the two countries.