Vostok-2018

ikalugin · 09-02-18, 11:30 AM

Yes, it is that time of the year and the big annual exercises begin.
I would try to cover them, as it seems to me that they are not covered otherwise here and that they may be of interest to the public here.
While they may not be as exciting as Zapad-2017 or Kavkaz-2016 to certain observers in Europe (as we can remember said observers claimed that those exercises are a cover up for an attack on Baltic and Ukraine) they do seem to be the biggest exercises since Zapad-1981 with 3 MDs (East, Central, North) and various centrally commanded assets (VDV and others) participating. Overall it appears that the overall event can be split into 3 main parts:
- surprise alert drills
- logisics/rear area exercises
- actual final exercises
Between the three above it appears that around 1/4 (some 262k servicemen) participated (and/or will participate, as final exercises would be in September) in the event,
The scenario appears to be combating a mass attack by a peer adversary, with a lot of emphasis placed on:
- mobilisation
- rear services such as repairs and logistics
- inter theatre and local relocation of forces (especially aircraft), dispersal (ie to back up airfields or road strips)
- counter sabboteur exercises (by some VDV air assault units and by Navy)
- cruise missile strikes (by Tu95MSs, Iskander-Ms, Bastions)

Overall it is unclear who is the adversary, as large scale invasion, which would warrant the scale of the exercise, by Western Forces seems implausible in the East and China is participating with some 3200 troops as an ally rather than as an enemy.
Some footage by Zvezda:
https://tvzvezda.ru/news/forces/cont...gh.htm/player/
https://tvzvezda.ru/news/forces/cont...b1.htm/player/
https://tvzvezda.ru/news/forces/cont...17.htm/player/
https://tvzvezda.ru/news/forces/content/201808230431-koxp.htm/player/

It appears that there are also a number of other exercises and events going on, such as:
- large exercise in Med from combined forces from Northern, Baltic, Black, Caspian, Red seas, 26 ships and vessels would participate, including 2 submarines, as well as 34 aircraft. Flagship would be Marshal Ustinov cruiser. The force would be supported by Naval Aviation MPA (Tu-142 and IL-38 series) and fighter aircraft (Su-33 and Su30SM), as well by Long Range Aviation's Tu160 bombers.
- RVSN exercise, with mobile TELs being dispersed onto their patrol routes.
- Peace Mission joint exercise of the SOC countries held in southern Urals region (so in the Vostok-2018 area but separate from it), video related:

https://russianmilitaryanalysis.word...iew-of-events/
Review by Kofman, a good read as always.

p.s. I hope I am not breaking any rules by posting this here.

1

ikalugin · 09-07-18, 05:17 AM

Interesting map from Gerasimov's press conference regarding the training on Cugol grounds (one of the 5 such areas of the exercise):
1) you can see 6 Armies participating, 2 from Center MD as BLUEFOR with 4 BDEs and a TD, 3 from Eastern MD and 1 from China as REDFOR with around 10 BDEs.
2) total strength appears to imply that those units (BDEs and the 90th TD) are played by battalion tactical groups rather than full units.
3) the scenario played has:
- initial mobile defence by the REDFOR
- followed by an offence with air assault into the flank of BLUEFOR and paradrop in the rear of the BLUEFOR.
4) in my opinion such a large scale exercise could be training for a number of contingencies, including Ukraine, where around the same number of Army formations would participate.

09-02-18, 11:30 AM	#1
ikalugin Ocean Warrior Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Moscow, Russia Posts: 3,212 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	Vostok-2018 Yes, it is that time of the year and the big annual exercises begin. I would try to cover them, as it seems to me that they are not covered otherwise here and that they may be of interest to the public here. While they may not be as exciting as Zapad-2017 or Kavkaz-2016 to certain observers in Europe (as we can remember said observers claimed that those exercises are a cover up for an attack on Baltic and Ukraine) they do seem to be the biggest exercises since Zapad-1981 with 3 MDs (East, Central, North) and various centrally commanded assets (VDV and others) participating. Overall it appears that the overall event can be split into 3 main parts: - surprise alert drills - logisics/rear area exercises - actual final exercises Between the three above it appears that around 1/4 (some 262k servicemen) participated (and/or will participate, as final exercises would be in September) in the event, The scenario appears to be combating a mass attack by a peer adversary, with a lot of emphasis placed on: - mobilisation - rear services such as repairs and logistics - inter theatre and local relocation of forces (especially aircraft), dispersal (ie to back up airfields or road strips) - counter sabboteur exercises (by some VDV air assault units and by Navy) - cruise missile strikes (by Tu95MSs, Iskander-Ms, Bastions) Overall it is unclear who is the adversary, as large scale invasion, which would warrant the scale of the exercise, by Western Forces seems implausible in the East and China is participating with some 3200 troops as an ally rather than as an enemy. Some footage by Zvezda: https://tvzvezda.ru/news/forces/cont...gh.htm/player/ https://tvzvezda.ru/news/forces/cont...b1.htm/player/ https://tvzvezda.ru/news/forces/cont...17.htm/player/ https://tvzvezda.ru/news/forces/content/201808230431-koxp.htm/player/ It appears that there are also a number of other exercises and events going on, such as: - large exercise in Med from combined forces from Northern, Baltic, Black, Caspian, Red seas, 26 ships and vessels would participate, including 2 submarines, as well as 34 aircraft. Flagship would be Marshal Ustinov cruiser. The force would be supported by Naval Aviation MPA (Tu-142 and IL-38 series) and fighter aircraft (Su-33 and Su30SM), as well by Long Range Aviation's Tu160 bombers. - RVSN exercise, with mobile TELs being dispersed onto their patrol routes. - Peace Mission joint exercise of the SOC countries held in southern Urals region (so in the Vostok-2018 area but separate from it), video related: https://russianmilitaryanalysis.word...iew-of-events/ Review by Kofman, a good read as always. p.s. I hope I am not breaking any rules by posting this here. 1 __________________ Grumpy as always.

09-07-18, 05:17 AM	#2
ikalugin Ocean Warrior Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Moscow, Russia Posts: 3,212 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	Interesting map from Gerasimov's press conference regarding the training on Cugol grounds (one of the 5 such areas of the exercise): 1) you can see 6 Armies participating, 2 from Center MD as BLUEFOR with 4 BDEs and a TD, 3 from Eastern MD and 1 from China as REDFOR with around 10 BDEs. 2) total strength appears to imply that those units (BDEs and the 90th TD) are played by battalion tactical groups rather than full units. 3) the scenario played has: - initial mobile defence by the REDFOR - followed by an offence with air assault into the flank of BLUEFOR and paradrop in the rear of the BLUEFOR. 4) in my opinion such a large scale exercise could be training for a number of contingencies, including Ukraine, where around the same number of Army formations would participate. __________________ Grumpy as always.