MOSCOW - More than 1,200 soldiers from 22 countries have arrived in Russia for annual military games set to start later this month, the Russian Defense Ministry said Monday.

The teams from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, China, Egypt, India, South Africa and other countries are getting ready for the various competitions of the two-week long International Army Games 2017, scheduled for July 29 to Aug 12.

The military games, first held in 2015 as an initiative by the Russian Defense Ministry, will be co-organized this year by Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan and China.

Events to be held in Russia will include a tank biathlon, military medical relay race, army scout masters and field kitchen competitions.