Russia’s eighth annual International Army Games, a sports event designed to showcase military skills and running from August 13-27, are taking place this year against the tense backdrop of war in Ukraine. FRANCE 24 spoke to Colonel Mark F. Cancian of the US Marine Corps (retired) and now a senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies about what he thought of Russia’s timing and what Moscow hopes to gain from the games.
These military exercises, started by the Kremlin in 2015 and planned by the Russian ministry of defence, usually involve around 30 countries and consist of 10 competitions that showcase several aspects of the participants’ military prowess.