Actually, it is very difficult to assess exactly the combat readiness and strength of any militaries currently because not many of them have been involved in real wars at the moment. In addition, the domestic, bilateral, and multilateral exercises have not reflected the overall military capabilities of each country. Therefore, the Army Games is a great opportunity for all militaries to compete and show their own capabilities.
Russian Defense Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu proposed the initiative of organizing the games for armed forces of the Russian Federation in 2013. By 2015, the Games had been upgraded to an international event. Since then, the Games has drawn increasingly more participating countries and athletes with an increasing number of competition events. Notably, 277 contingents from 42 countries and territories took part in the Army Games 2021 amid the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic. They have competed in 34 events at tens of military training grounds in 11 host countries.
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An art performance at the event |
The Army Games 2022 will witness the participation of 300 contingents from at least 49 nations, according to Major General Aleksandr Peryazev, Deputy Chief of the General Department of Combat Training of the Russian Armed Forces and Chief Referee of the Army Games 2021. Each contest of the Army Games 2021 is closely designed to actual real combat conditions.
Participating in the Army Games 2021 helps build the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) into a regular, elite, and gradually-modernized military. This year, the VPA not only sent the highest-ever number of troops to the games but also hosted two contests, namely “Sniper Frontier” and “Emergency Area,” at the National Military Training Center No.4.
Taking part in the games for the fourth consecutive year, this year the VPA gained one gold, two silver, and four bronze medals. Notably, the Contingent of the Vietnam’s People Navy bagged a silver medal at the “Sea Cup” event and the Meridian Contingent clinched a bronze medal for the first time participating in the contests. Other contingents were successful in sustaining their good performances they had made at previous games.
The Army Games is an important defense relations affair of the Vietnam People's Army and militaries of many other countries. It has been getting more popular in the world. Through the event, the VPA’s participants acquired invaluable experience in hosting competitions and training athletes as well as promoting the image of a military for peace.
Translated by Trung Thanh