More than 4,000 soldiers and personnel from 28 countries are taking part in the event, including China, Iran, Egypt and Zimbabwe.
Taking place in the city of Tyumen, the games feature a range of army disciplines, including the Tank Biathlon, largely regarded as the main event.
It involves tank crews driving an armoured vehicle across a 5k obstacle course while shooting at targets.
With less than a week to go before the games close on August 12, the hosts are currently topping the league table, leading in 11 of the 22 disciplines on offer.
China, leading in seven disciplines, is in second place and Kazakstan is in third.
Other disicplines include air manouvres, offroad truck racing and even a cooking competition for army chefs.
Typically for a country led by a man regularly photographed hunting with his shirt off, Russian media described the games as a contest for "real men".
Nato members, however, seem less then impressed.
Since being launched by the Russian Defence Ministry three years ago, no country signed up to Nato has taken part in the war games.
Although Moscow says the invitation is open to anyone to compete, a Nato spokesman told Newsweek: "Military games are no substitute for proper transparency and confidence-building measures - such as OSCE observation of military exercises, which Russia routinely avoids
It comes after Putin displayed Russia's military might in a major display of its naval capabilities.
Earlier this month thousands of highly trained Russian seaman clutched assault rifles as gigantic submarines emerged from the water in a show of force ordered by the Russian President.
Fighter jets soared above the heads of thousands who filled the streets of Saint Petersburg to celebrate Navy Day as Mr Putin oversaw the fleet in Sevastopol.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/838192/russia-tanks-war-china-international-army-games-2017
