In pictures: Foreign marines descend on Russia

It's a long way from the Caribbean, the South China Sea and the Gulf but Venezuela, China and Iran landed marines on the Baltic coast this month for a round of war games hosted by Russia, which has fostered defence ties with all three countries.

They showed off their stuff in the sand and water of a test range in the Kaliningrad region.

Image source, Reuters

Image caption, A Venezuelan marine slogs through water on the Khmelevka range.

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Image source, Reuters

Image caption, Other Venezuelans attempt to leap over barbed wire.

Image source, Reuters

Image caption, The Venezuelan corps numbers about 5,000 marines.

Image source, Reuters

Image caption, Forming human ladders poles is all part of the package for the Venezuelans.

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Image source, Reuters

Image caption, Chinese marines carry a simulated casualty across a beach.

Image source, Reuters

Image caption, "Casualties" are delivered into the hands of a Russian medical unit.

Image source, Reuters

Image caption, For these Chinese marines, there is a crawl under barbed wire.

Image source, Reuters

Image caption, The People's Liberation Army Navy Marine Corps numbered about 20,000 personnel until recently, but is expected to expand considerably.

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Image source, Reuters

Image caption, Iranian marines do some heavy lifting too.

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Image caption, Iran is believed to have some 2,600 marines, in addition to naval infantry.

Image source, Reuters

Image caption, The marine games are just one part of the International Army Games, which Russia has been organising annually since 2015.

All photos by Vitaly Nevar, copyright of Reuters.