China and Russia launch war games to confront tensions with the United States

Russia wants to use the latest round of war-games Vostok 2022 to demonstrate that it has sufficient military might to undertake massive drills. This is in spite of its engagement in other fronts. The intention of the weeklong war games between China and Russia is to show their cooperation against the United States. The Vostok 2022 (East 2022) exercises will go on at seven firing ranges in Russia’s Far East and the Sea of Japan. The Russian participation would be of more than 50,000 troops and 5,000 weapons units. These would include aircraft and warships. China, on its part, would join with more than 2,000 troops along with more than 300 military vehicles, 21 combat aircraft and 3 warships. The chief of the Russian General Staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, will personally oversee the drills. These would involve troops from a number of former Soviet nations apart from countries like China, India, Laos, Mongolia, Nicaragua and Syria. The Defense Ministry revealed that the navies of Russia and China would conduct exercises in the Sea of Japan. Russia launches war games with China amid growing tensions for both with the U.S. . This will be the first time that China has sent forces from three branches of its military to involve in a single Russian drill.

Vostok 2022 is described as an exercise to showcase the extent of the Sino-Russian military cooperation and mutual trust. These have strengthened recently. China has blamed the U.S. and NATO for imposing sanctions on Moscow. Russia responded by backing China in the tensions with the U.S. following the visit to Taiwan by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The Russian President Vladimir Putin hinted that Washington was trying to foment global instability. Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping have developed a bond that bolsters a “strategic partnership” between the former communist rivals. Both of them have a common rival in the United States.

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Kim Jong-un sounds the bugle for a nuclear war

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sounded the bugle for a nuclear war and has demanded the country's nuclear weapons be made ready for use 'at any time'. He has also said that the communist country will revise its military posture in order to be able to carry out pre-emptive attacks. He has also stressed that the current situation has become very precarious.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 4 March 2016.

Kim Jong-un has indicated that his people must always be ready to fire the nuclear warheads at any time and his announcement has come shortly after the United Nations Security Council passed a new sanctions resolution penalizing the country for its fourth nuclear test and long-range missile launch earlier in the year.
The nuclear threats of North Korea have come ahead of joint U.S.-South Korean war games this month that the North claims are invasion preparations.
Some of the measures is a new requirement that all countries must inspect cargo destined for and coming from North Korea, in all airports and sea ports. The resolution also bans or restricts exports of coal, iron and iron ore and other minerals from North Korea, and also prohibits the supply of aviation fuel including rocket fuel.
This is going to hurt because North Korea earns about $1billion every year through coal exports - a third of all export revenues - and about $200 million annually from iron ore sales.
US President Barack Obama welcomed the sanctions as 'a firm, united, and appropriate response' to the January 6 nuclear test and February 7 rocket launch. He has reiterated that North Korea must abandon these dangerous programs and choose a better path for its people.
The sanctions also cover banking restrictions and governments will be required to ban flights of any plane suspected of carrying contraband destined for North Korea. Moreover, UN member states will expel North Korean diplomats who may be engaged in smuggling or other illegal activities. And, a total of 16 individuals and 12 entities were added to a UN sanctions blacklist - these include North Korea's NADA space agency and its spy agency, the Reconnaissance General Bureau.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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