China and Russia begin joint military exercises

China and Russia launched the "Joint Sea-2026" joint military exercise on Monday at a military seaport in Qingdao, in eastern China's Shandong province, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

According to CCTV, the exercise will be conducted in three phases under a joint command involving the naval forces of both countries: force assembly, port planning and offshore operations, AP reports.

Participating warships will sail to the sea near Qingdao to conduct exercises in various fields, such as joint reconnaissance, air and missile defense, as well as training in the use of weapons in real conditions.

Asked about the joint Russian-Chinese naval exercises that began on Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said they were not directed against anyone. He added that cooperation in such an important area between Russia and China is a factor that helps increase predictability and security in the region.