The Chinese and Russian militaries conducted a joint military exercise focused on cross-border terrorism in response to the recent terrorist attacks in Moscow. The drill was carried out on 25 June in a river site near the Heilongjiang Bridge linking Russia’s Blagoveshchensk and China’s Heihe, the Chinese military’s official media outlet PLA Daily said.
This exercise was established in the scenario of terrorists endeavouring to cross the border to carry out terrorist activities. The Chinese and Russian sides executed encirclement and capture operations in their respective areas via aerial reconnaissance, surface interception and traps on the shore.
The exercise strives to strengthen anti-terrorism intelligence sharing and functional coordination. It demonstrates the firm decision of China and Russia to resolutely take strong and practical measures to combat all forms of terrorism, separatism and extremism, and to jointly support lasting security in the border regions. It is known that the two sides also exchanged ideas on continuing to deepen cooperation on border defence.
It was the foremost joint counter-terrorism drill between the neighbouring nations since Russia’s intervention in Ukraine. It came just days after terrorist episodes in Russia’s southern region of Dagestan on 23 June, in which at least 22 people were slain in shootings at two synagogues, two Orthodox churches and a police station. In March, more than 140 people were massacred in an attack on a concert hall in Moscow, the most lethal terrorist attack in Russia for almost two decades. The Khorasan chapter of ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack.
According to the PLA Daily, last week’s joint exercise affected ‘terrorists trying to cross the border’ to undertake an attack. Chinese and Russian troops operated aerial reconnaissance, maritime interception and ground ambush to intercept and catch the terrorists during the exercise. The exercise, which concentrated on improving intelligence sharing and operational coordination, conducted the “firm determination” of both militaries to take effective steps to “combat all forms of terrorism, separatism and extremism” while jointly securing border areas, the report stated.
The report also stated that the two sides examined further deepening border cooperation.
This is not the first time the two nations have held joint counter-terrorism exercises. In 2019, China’s People’s Armed Police took part in an activity with the Russian National Guard in Russia. According to Tass, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reaffirmed the two nations ongoing cooperation in the war against terrorism, including on multilateral venues, during a discussion with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in April.
Last week’s joint exercise tracks an understanding between Chinese and Russian leaders during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Beijing in May to boost cooperation in law enforcement and defence, including by developing joint training and exercises. The Chinese and Russian coast guards also marked a memorandum of understanding on the maritime law enforcement association in April last year. In March, China and Russia managed a naval exercise with Iran concentrating on anti-piracy efforts. China and Russia also held joint naval and air exercises in the Sea of Japan, or East Sea, in July last year.
