300K Russian troops to participate in largest military exercises in decades: report

Russia on Tuesday will begin its largest military drill in almost 40 years, according to the Kremlin.
The Vostok 2018 drill will include almost 300,000 troops, over 1,000 vehicles, and up to 80 ships, Russian officials told NBC News.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said last month that the drills were necessary to make sure that Russia can defend itself in an increasingly contentious international situation.

"The country's ability to defend itself in the current internationals situation, which is often aggressive and unfriendly towards our country, means [the exercise is justified]," Peskov said.
Tensions between the West and Russia have increased over allegations of interference by Moscow in U.S. elections, as well as the poisoning of a former Russian spy in Great Britain - an act London has blamed on the Kremlin.