Vietnam has left a good impression on international friends following the country’s first-ever participation in the annual 2018 International Army Games that concluded in Russia last week.

Organized by the Russian Ministry of Defense, the event, taking place from July 28 to August 11, included multiple competitions, attended by 207 teams with more than 5,000 soldiers and officers from 33 countries.

This is the first time the People’s Army of Vietnam has sent a delegation to participate in the Games, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

Vietnamese officers compete in military medical relay races. Photo: Vietnam News Agency

Colonel Phan Hai Long, deputy chief of staff of the armor unit under the People’s Army, led a delegation of more than 50 officers representing Vietnam at the event, signing up for competitions in tank biathlons, field kitchens, and military medical relay races.

Col. Long admitted that Vietnam had to face many challenges in the competitions.

“Our officers did not receive sufficient information about the contests, and they had to learn to adapt to the modern military equipment provided at the Games,” he said.

“However, we managed to overcome the difficulties and successfully complete the competitions.”

Russian Minister of Defense Sergey Shoygu tastes a Vietnamese dish during the field kitchen competition. Photo: Vietnam News Agency

Vietnam’s participation in the 2018 International Army Games was mainly aimed at learning and exchanging knowledge, as well as tightening friendship with other countries’ armies, Col. Long asserted.

The International Army Games is an annual event first launched by the Russian Ministry of Defense in 2015.

The fourth edition included competitions in 28 categories held in seven countries including Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, and Russia.

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