Military officials from both superpowers have announced that the two countries will hold missile defence drills as soon as three months' time. The news comes as Russia teamed up with Turkey to announce a co-ordinated military strategy for Syria and the construction of a new gas pipeline running between the two countries. At a security forum in Beijing this week senior Chinese and Russian officials were in unanimous agreement that they must fight back against the US's attempts to create an anti-missile defence shield, due to be installed in South Korea next year.
South Korea has stated it would benefit from the US shield to counter the threat posed by North Korea, but China and Russia see the move as a direct threat. Addressing a joint news conference with Russia's Lieutenant General Viktor Poznikhir, China's Major General Cai said the defence system "severely damages the national security interests of China and Russia. China firmly opposes it and strongly urges the US and South Korea to reconsider their options."
Defence analyst Konstantin Sivkov said that the superpowers are headed towards establishing a "military and political alliance." The allied relationship between the countries comes as fears that Russia may launch a nuclear war with the West hit an all-time high, with Russia beginning to move nuclear-capable Iskander-M missiles in Kaliningrad - a small Russian territory surrounded by EU nations.
And on Monday Vladimir Putin met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss the Turkish Stream gas pipeline and a joint military strategy in Syria, resulting in an agreement to share intelligence and the joint provision of humanitarian aid. Relations between Russia and the United States have come under further strain as a result of Russian airstrikes in Syria, which violated a ceasefire struck between the nations.