Russia-China war games include ICBMs

The largest-ever war games exercises between Russian and Chinese military forces set for this week will include launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles, while officials continue to maintain the maneuvers are efforts to deal with international terrorism.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov told a Cabinet meeting attended by President Vladimir Putin about the ICBM launches and preparations for the voyage of the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov across the Atlantic.

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The operation begins Aug. 18. The exercises are in three stages. During the first stage, Russian and Chinese military chiefs meet in Vladivostok to discuss security in the Far East. During the second stage, beginning Saturday, the defense ministers of the two countries meet in China to approve the training program for the exercise. During the third stage, beginning next Tuesday, the actual training exercises will be carried out in the Yellow Sea.

Up to 1,800 Russian and 8,000 Chinese military personnel are expected to take part in the maneuvers.

Russia will deploy 11 aircraft (including the SU-24 and SU-27 fighters, IL-76 and IL-78 transport planes, and TU-95 and TU-22 long-range bombers), a group of ships from the Pacific Fleet and a company of marines.

A joint military exercise titled "Peace Mission 2005" is to be a massive engagement of China's army, navy and air force in conjunction with Russian naval and air resources.

Both China and Russia have stated that the purpose of the substantial war games being held is to be equipped to fight the threat of terrorism.

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