MOSCOW, August 18. /ITAR-TASS/. About 1,000 Russian servicemen have arrived in China to take part in Peace Mission 2014, a joint anti-terrorist exercise that also involves troops from the member-states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a spokesman told reporters on Monday.

"A motorized rifle formation from Russia’s Eastern Military District (EMD) has arrived in the Zhurihe range in China's Inner Mongolia and begun preparations for the military exercise and joint training which will run from August 24 through August 29," EMD spokesman Alexander Gordeyev said.

Eight Russian helicopter gunships will be involved in fire support operations during a simulated combat, he said.

The drill brings together military units from Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyzgyzstan. Russia sent 100 units of armaments and military equipment to the drill, including four Su-25 attack aircraft.