Russia says it launched massive naval and air drills Tuesday that span a huge swath of oceans and involve more than 400 naval vessels, at least 120 military aircraft and upwards of 90,000 troops.

The large-scale military exercise, dubbed “Ocean-2024,” includes forces from China and will run until September 16 with at least 15 countries invited to observe the maneuvers, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia pays “special attention” to strengthening military cooperation with “friendly states” and warned the United States not to try and outgun Moscow in Asia.

"Under the pretext of countering the allegedly existing Russian threat and containing the People's Republic of China, the United States and its satellites are increasing their military presence near Russia's western borders, in the Arctic, and in the Asia-Pacific region,” Putin said in a televised remark to Russian military officials on Tuesday. He said Washington and its allies are "openly declaring their plans to deploy medium- and shorter-range missiles in the so-called forward zones.”

| Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via Reuters (Pic): A still image from a video, released by Russia's Defence Ministry on Sept. 10, 2024, shows a Russian warship during drills held by Russia's and China's navy in the Sea of Japan

Analysts say the joint naval and air drills are an effort by Russia and China to deepen military ties and counter increased security coordination between the United States and its allies in the Indo-Pacific region.

“Russia wants to demonstrate that they can engage in a full-scale war with Ukraine while deploying resources to the Indo-Pacific region and China wants to show that they can deepen its relationship with Russia and cause problems in the region, primarily in the South China Sea but also around Japan,” said Stephen Nagy, a regional security expert at the International Christian University in Japan.

On Monday, the Chinese defense ministry said both countries would conduct joint naval and aerial exercises aimed at deepening bilateral strategic cooperation and strengthening their ability to respond to security threats in the waters and airspace near the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk.

In addition to the joint exercise near Japan, the Chinese defense ministry said Chinese and Russian naval fleets will conduct their fifth joint patrol in the Pacific Ocean as part of the "Ocean-2024" strategic exercise.

“Russia hopes to increase pressure on the United States on the Pacific front through the joint military exercise with China, which may force Washington to reduce its military deployment to Europe,” said Lin Ying-yu, a military expert at Tamkang University in Taiwan.

On the other hand, he added that China hopes to divert Japan’s attention from waters near the Taiwan Strait through its closer military partnership with Russia.

“Japan will have to prioritize threats to their security so they won’t have more bandwidth to focus on the situation across the Taiwan Strait,” Lin told VOA in a phone interview.

China and Russia’s increased military cooperation near Japan in recent years has prompted Tokyo to characterize their joint activities as a “grave concern.”