In 2022, the Russian army will face a number of large-scale combat training events.

The most important event, from the point of view of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, will be the Vostok strategic command and staff exercise.

The key role in this event will be played by the formations of the Pacific Fleet (Pacific Fleet) and the Eastern Military District (VVO).

The SKSHU itself will be held in September, but preparations for it started back in 2021.

In addition to Russian units stationed in Siberia and the Far East, troops from other military districts will take part in the exercise.

In addition, as the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov said in December 2021, it is planned to invite military contingents of foreign states to Vostok-2022.

In the previous SKSHU "Vostok-2018" at the training grounds, together with the Russians, military skills were improved by the military personnel of Mongolia and the People's Liberation Army of China (PLA).

In total, 297 thousand people, up to 80 ships, 1 thousand aircraft units, up to 36 thousand tanks and armored vehicles took part in the maneuvers.

According to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, these were the largest exercises of the Russian Armed Forces since 1981.

In addition to army formations, units of the Russian Guard, the FSB, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Emergency Situations were involved in the command and control squad.

The emphasis in the exercise was placed on practicing the transfer of troops over distances of thousands of kilometers and performing tasks at unfamiliar training grounds.

For example, the forces of the Northern Fleet were redeployed to the shores of Kamchatka, and the troops of the Southern and Central Military Districts landed in the Air Defense Forces.

  • Review of troops at the Vostok-2018 command and control squadron

  • © Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

The main stage of the exercise took place at the Tsugol training ground in the Trans-Baikal Territory.

The actions of the units were watched by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

In his address to the participants of Vostok-2018, he noted that “the army and navy are passing such a difficult and large-scale exam for the first time.”

In a conversation with RT, the head of the Bureau of Military-Political Analysis, Alexander Mikhailov, did not rule out that Vostok-2022 would be no less ambitious, taking into account the number of preparatory measures in different military districts of the Russian Federation.

He also drew attention to the geopolitical significance of the upcoming command and control squad.

“It is difficult to ignore the trend of recent years, which is the division of the world into West and East.

Russia is intensively strengthening relations with the CSTO members and China.

I think that the upcoming maneuvers will not do without the participation of our partners and will further strengthen cooperation in the military sphere, ”Mikhailov said.

Another major event in the field of combat training in 2022 will be maneuvers called "Thunder-2022".

According to experts, to a large extent this command and control system is aimed at checking the combat readiness of the nuclear triad and other troops of the Russian Federation, which can, if necessary, use atomic weapons.

The previous exercise took place in October 2019.

During it, missile launches from land, sea and air platforms took place.

The maneuvers involved 213 launchers of the Strategic Missile Forces, up to 105 aircraft, up to 15 surface ships, five submarines, 310 units of military and special equipment.

As emphasized in the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the exercise was "purely defensive in nature."

"Active pace"

In addition to the introduction and development of new methods of warfare, in 2022 the Russian army will continue to receive modern samples of military equipment.

As Vladimir Putin said at an expanded meeting of the Russian Defense Ministry board on December 21, the rearmament of the Russian Armed Forces should be balanced and planned, with an emphasis on the supply of "high-precision complexes, the latest intelligence, navigation, communications and control systems."

According to the head of state, at the end of December 2021, the share of modern weapons in the Russian troops exceeded 71%, in the strategic nuclear forces - 89%.

“The development of the latest types of weapons proceeded at an active pace.

Some of them - the Avangard and Dagger complexes - have been put on alert, "Putin said.

  • Hypersonic complex "Avangard"

  • AP

  • © Russian Defense Ministry Press Service

Speaking at the same event, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu noted that in terms of modernity, Russian troops occupy "leading positions in the world, while we are in ninth place in terms of defense spending."

The head of the military department said that in the near future it is planned to send more than 258 billion rubles for the supply of high-precision weapons.

As a result, by 2026 the number of long-range high-precision weapons carriers will increase by 30%, and the number of cruise missiles of various types of basing will double.

Speaking about the priorities of 2022, Shoigu said that the strategic forces of the Russian Federation will receive 21 launchers with intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) Yars, Avangard, Sarmat, two strategic missile carriers Tu-160M ​​and the project 955A submarine Borey- A "" Generalissimo Suvorov ".

More than 1,000 modern armored and artillery weapons will be supplied to the Ground Forces, the Airborne Forces and the coastal units of the Navy.

257 new and modernized aircraft, five divisional sets of the S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft missile system (SAM) will be transferred to the Aerospace Forces and the Navy.

“It is planned to take into the Navy five submarines, 11 surface ships, three combat boats.

To supply the troops with two coastal missile systems, ”added Shoigu.

Also in the new year will start deliveries to the army of the hypersonic missile "Zircon" in the surface version.

At the end of December, the Russian Navy carried out a salvo launch of this hypersonic system.

According to Putin, the tests were carried out "flawlessly."

“The Zircon hypersonic system is our latest missile, which works both at sea, at sea targets and at ground targets.

Yes, the tests were carried out successfully, flawlessly, this is a great event in the life of the country and a significant step in increasing Russia's security and increasing its defense capability, "the President said on December 24 at the end of a joint meeting of the State Council and the Council for Science and Education.

  • Zircon rocket launch

  • RIA News

  • © Press Service of the RF Ministry of Defense

Recall that the surface modification of the "Zircon" is being tested on the lead frigate of project 22350 "Admiral of the Soviet Union Fleet Gorshkov".

Last year, the ship successfully completed about 10 launches.

The underwater version of the hypersonic missile is being tested by the crew of the Project 885 Severodvinsk lead nuclear submarine.

According to official information, the speed of the Zircon is about Mach 9, and the range is over 1,000 km.

The missile is designed to destroy sea and ground targets.

Experts believe that the supply of this ammunition to the naval forces will significantly increase their combat power.

Forced measures

In an interview with RT, military expert Alexander Khrolenko said that the current pace of rearmament of the Russian army significantly enhances its defense potential and allows "to look to the future with optimism."

According to the analyst, any potential adversary "today is obviously inferior to the Russian level."

“The peculiarity of high-tech conflicts is that they are transient.

Now the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are supplying weapons that allow them to win this kind of hostilities.

Among them, I would include mainly hypersonic complexes.

At the same time, our country does not threaten anyone, has no aggressive intentions, ”Khrolenko stressed.

In addition, according to the expert, the rearmament of the Russian army is necessary to ensure the balance of power in the world and at the same time is a necessary measure in the context of increasing the number of NATO troops on the so-called eastern flank, that is, near the borders of the Russian Federation.

According to the data announced at the expanded meeting of the collegium of the Russian Ministry of Defense, the North Atlantic Alliance is practicing large-scale exercises, including unplanned ones, has created new command structures, and has increased the frequency of flights of strategic aviation, which is practicing simulated launches of nuclear missiles across the territory of the Russian Federation.

In addition, Moscow is concerned about the ongoing deployment of American ground-based Aegis Ashore systems and the Pacific segment of the United States' global missile defense system.

“NATO is a US instrument.

It is the Americans who decide all the key questions.

Moscow understands this very well and is taking not only military, but also diplomatic measures.

An example of this is the direct consultations that started in January between Moscow and Washington on mutual security guarantees, ”Khrolenko said. 

In turn, Alexander Mikhailov believes that without success in rearming the RF Armed Forces and organizing large-scale military exercises, dialogue with the United States is a priori impossible.

For this reason, 2022 for the Russian army should be as productive as the previous one.

“The Americans, of course, observe the military activity of the Russian army, missile launches, exercises and draw certain conclusions.

In this regard, in my opinion, it is important to continue to maintain a high intensity of combat training and not change plans for the supply of new weapons, "Mikhailov summed up.