Key facts
- Chinese troops joined Russia's Tsentr-2026 military exercises in the Chelyabinsk region.
- Over 47,000 military personnel participated in the drills.
- The exercises incorporated new anti-drone and ground robot systems.
- Russian state media stated the drills applied lessons from the Ukraine war.
Chinese troops have participated in Russia's Tsentr-2026 strategic command-and-staff exercises, a multinational event held in the central western Chelyabinsk region from Monday to Saturday. The drills involved more than 47,000 military personnel and featured new anti-drone and ground robot systems. Russian state media reported that the exercises applied combat lessons learned from the Ukraine war.
This participation underscores the deepening military ties between China and Russia. In August 2021, Chinese and Russian troops kicked off five days of military exercises in China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, known as Zapad/Interaction 2021, involving over 10,000 troops and significant numbers of aircraft, weapon systems, and vehicles. Those drills focused on stability in Central Asia and were driven by shared concerns about regional security, particularly in the wake of the U.S.-led withdrawal from Afghanistan. Experts noted that while these exercises signal growing cooperation, they do not indicate a move toward a traditional military alliance.