As Russia’s military last week launched globe-spanning drills widely seen as a show of strength directed at the United States, President Vladimir Putin made clear which country he sees as standing by Moscow’s side.

At the same time as the French-Japanese drills, Russia and China conducted their own large-scale exercises. According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, the joint Ocean-2024 manoeuvres involved more than 400 warships and over 90,000 personnel.

China Coast Guard ships Meishan and Xiushan have arrived in Russia's Far East port of Vladivostok to conduct joint exercises and patrols with their Russian counterparts, RIA state news agency reported on Tuesday.