Joint military exercises between Russia and China: Expert reveals Hidden objectives

In August, China and Russia will hold joint military drills near Vladivostok, in the Sea of Japan, and also in the Pacific Ocean. This raises the question: why are they doing this? These maneuvers may not only serve to practice coordinated actions, but also to "probe the capabilities of a potential adversary."

This opinion was expressed by military expert and Director of Development at Defense Express Valerii Riabykh during a broadcast on Espreso TV.

According to Riabykh, for Russia, such exercises are a forced step.

"They understand that China is a natural antagonist of the Russian Federation and will maintain a certain willingness to cooperate with Russia only as long as it does not conflict with its own interests," the expert explained.

He even refers to leaked FSB documents that indicate Russia began developing operations to strengthen counterintelligence measures against China at the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. These joint exercises, which have been taking place with some regularity in recent times, are beneficial to both parties as a way to "cross-check each other’s military capabilities."

Riabykh warns that one should not rule out the possibility that under the guise of partnership, these activities are primarily a way of assessing the potential of a possible adversary. This allows both sides to “keep a finger on the pulse” and respond in a timely manner to any changes.

Thus, the upcoming "Maritime Interaction–2025" exercises between the Chinese and Russian navies are not just a show of force, but possibly a much deeper move on the geopolitical chessboard.