Russia is set to hold its largest military drills in almost four decades beginning Tuesday. Dubbed Vostok 2018, the massive exercise will involve nearly 300,000 troops, more than 1,000 planes, helicopters and drones, and up to 36,000 tanks, armored personnel carriers and other vehicles, as well as up to 80 ships and other vessels, according to Russian officials. Source: NBC News
The ambassador was summoned on Monday after the “unacceptable and groundless” comments by Di Maio on Sunday, a source in the cabinet of France’s Europe Minister Natalie Loiseau told AFP on condition of anonymity. Source: France24
Russia has recognized the existence of a cruise missile system that has prompted Washington to say it will quit the 1987 INF disarmament treaty, but has denied that it violates the pact, U.S. officials and NATO diplomats said on Monday. Source: Reuters
Turkey is ready to take over security in Syria’s Manbij, where four U.S. citizens died in an Islamic State-claimed bombing last week, President Tayyip Erdogan told U.S. President Donald Trump in a telephone call on Sunday, the Turkish presidency said. Source: CNBC
