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Great performance on the big stage by Vladimir Putin to patriotic marching music:
Welcome to the opening ceremony of the so-called International Army Games in Moscow, also known as the "Combat Olympics" - organized while Russia has been waging a war of aggression against Ukraine for almost six months.
The event is being hosted by Russia's Defense Ministry, which has described it as "the largest and most spectacular military sporting event in the world."
This time there are teams from 22 countries.
Participants from Belarus via Uzbekistan to Bolivia and Syria are marching.
The so-called sports event is flanked by the military exhibition "ARMY-2022".
Against this backdrop, Vladimir Putin is drumming for the countries represented to move closer together militarily.
Vladimir Putin, President of Russia
“Russia is ready to comprehensively develop military-technical cooperation with other countries.
This is especially important in today's ever-evolving multi-polar world.
We value like-minded allies and partners on every continent - countries that will not bow to hegemons.
The leaders of these countries have shown genuine indomitable masculinity.”
His country is willing to upgrade partner countries in South America, Asia and Africa.
Putin now referred to these countries as "allies".
According to Putin, they are ready to offer them "the most modern types of weapons" - this includes small arms, armored vehicles and anti-aircraft artillery.
In addition to the artillery, this time the military muscle games should primarily focus on military technology and future technologies.
Appropriately, the Russian space agency Roskosmos presented this model of the planned space station "Ross" at the exhibition center.
The space agency recently announced that Russia will leave the International Space Station after 2024 and is working on developing its own orbital station.
The new space station, as presented here, is to be launched in two phases - when, however, is unknown.
The courted so-called like-minded countries were present in the exhibition: The Islamic Republic of Iran, for example, presented its unmanned drones and missiles there.
The United States had previously reported that Iran was preparing to supply Russia with several hundred drones, some of which were weaponized.
The International Army Games are taking place for the eighth time and will end on Sunday.
It remains to be seen whether the "Panzer-Biathlon" will take place again this year.