A China Global Television Network (CGTN) correspondent on Saturday visited Kursk region, where Russian and Ukrainian forces are now exchanging fierce fire.
The Ukrainian armed forces started an offensive in southern Russia's Kursk region on Aug 6. Russia's Defense Ministry has sent more artillery to Russia's Kursk region to repel Ukrainian forces, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that his forces have made small advances into that region, taking control of two more settlements.
The CGTN correspondent Aljosa Milenkovic documented his nearly eight-hour journey by land from Moscow to Kursk.
Milenkovic said that one of the main reasons why he took the long journey car rather than plane is that after the conflict escalated back in February 2022, all airports relatively close to the border between Russia and Ukraine have been closed as a security measure.
Those airports in border cities, including Kursk, Belgorod and Rostov-on-Don are now closed for civilian aircraft, he said.
On his way to Kursk, Milenkovic saw some empty transport military vehicles running towards Moscow.
"A lot of military vehicles on the way from the Belgorod and Kursk region towards Moscow. All of them were empty. As I could see, those were transport vehicles. There were none of the combat vehicles, fighting vehicles," he said.
Passing by the monument of Marshal Georgy Zhukov, Milenkovic finally arrived in Kursk at around 17:00 on Saturday, where he saw lots of cars in the streets and pedestrians walking along.
Everything in the streets seem normal, but Milenkovic was greeted by sirens meaning possible missile attacks, after entering hotel room.
CGTN correspondent documents journey from Moscow to Kursk
CGTN correspondent documents journey from Moscow to Kursk
The 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum opened in Beijing on Friday morning with hotspots around the world and security cooperation taking the center stage.
The opening ceremony was attended by more than 600 official representatives from over 100 countries and international organizations, including nearly 300 heads of official delegations and officials from various countries. The forum is held with the theme of "Promoting Peace for a shared future".
China's Defense Minister Dong Jun attended the opening ceremony and delivered a keynote speech. He first read out a congratulatory letter from President Xi Jinping to the forum. Then, he mentioned in his speech the current hot issues including the Ukrainian crisis and the ongoing Palestine-Israel conflict.
Dong said "there is no winner in a war and a conflict, and there is no way out if we just confront each other." He also stressed that promoting peace talks is the only way out, and the fundamental way out.
Two plenary sessions were held after the opening ceremony. At the first session, participants exchanged views on "security cooperation and prosperity and stability in the Asia-Pacific region", and official representatives from Vietnam, Singapore, Pakistan, Fiji, Russia and Malaysia spoke at the meeting.
The theme of the second plenary session was "multipolarization and the direction of international order", and defense ministers or military generals from six countries including Cambodia, Tanzania, Cameroon and Iran delivered speeches.
The topics all focus on security hotspots. Participants include not only developing and developed countries, but also representatives, experts and scholars from the closely-watched countries such as the United States, Russia, and Ukraine.
In interviews, many participants said that the Beijing Xiangshan Forum is committed to promoting dialog, exchanges and cooperation among defense agencies, militaries and international organizations of various countries, and is playing an active role in promoting regional security and stability and maintaining world peace and development.
The ongoing Beijing Xiangshan Forum, which runs until Saturday, will also hold eight parallel group sessions, focusing on themes such as the correct way for China and the United States to get along, European security trends and Middle East peace vision. This year, a new session on outer space security has been set up for participants to jointly discuss issues on outer space security governance.
Initiated in 2006, the Beijing Xiangshan Forum is a high-level security and defense forum in the Asia-Pacific with significant international influence.
11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum opens with focus on hotspots, security cooperation
