The International Army Games — branded by Russia's Ministry of Defence as a kind of military Olympics — were first held in 2015 and grew rapidly into a propaganda showcase, with the 2018 edition drawing teams from over 30 countries to compete in events ranging from tank biathlon to field cooking. This coin was issued as part of a broader commemorative program the Bank of Russia maintained around state-sponsored sporting events, treating the Games with the same institutional weight as an Olympic cycle.
The International Army Games — branded by Russia's Ministry of Defence as a kind of military Olympics — were first held in 2015 and grew rapidly into a propaganda showcase, with the 2018 edition drawing teams from over 30 countries to compete in events ranging from tank biathlon to field cooking. This coin was issued as part of a broader commemorative program the Bank of Russia maintained around state-sponsored sporting events, treating the Games with the same institutional weight as an Olympic cycle.