In an address to participants, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu stressed that the event comes “in the context of a drastic change in the military-political situation in the world, and the strengthening of a real multipolar world order.”
He added that the conference would deal with “the problems of global and regional stability, as well as various aspects of security in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and Europe.”
Watch Sputnik's live feed to find out more.