Russian President Vladimir Putin said the war games, which span both hemispheres, are the largest of their kind in three decades.

Russian and Chinese warships began exercises on Tuesday as part of what Moscow said was a major set of naval drills stretching from the Mediterranean to the Pacific. Russia's Defence Ministry said four Chinese warships and a supply vessel teamed up with Russian ships in Peter the Great Bay,

China's Defense Ministry has announced joint naval and air drills with Russia starting this month, underscoring the closeness between their militaries as Russia presses its grinding invasion of Ukraine.