As Russia’s military last week launched globe-spanning drills widely seen as a show of strength directed at the United States, President Vladimir Putin made clear which country he sees as standing by Moscow’s side.

Russian authorities have begun to convert trade with China into cryptocurrency. The first group of importers to be allowed to pay for Chinese goods in digital currencies included electronics manufacturers and several banks,

Chinese state media said the drills, named Northern/Interaction-2024, aim to deepen strategic cooperation between the two countries and strengthen their ability to respond to security threats.