An ominous display of military might: Russia flexes its muscles at the world by releasing footage of drills involving 12,500 troops, fighter jets and anti-aircraft missiles

The display took place in Crimea as Russia showcased its ground, marine and air forces in the biggest exercises held on the strategic peninsula since its 2014 annexation from Ukraine. The drills took place at the Opuk training range on the Black Sea coast and stimulated an attempted invasion by a major force. The crowning moment of the display was a series of thermobaric bomb explosions, which propelled halo-shaped pressure waves upwards into the sky.(top) Military hardware on display included Mil Mi-35 attack helicopters, which strafed mock targets on the ground,(bottom left) and a T-90 tank that fired rounds on the range.(bottom right)