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Shoigu says Russia and allies need to step up military exercises in Asia

Russia and its allies in Asia needs to expand joint military exercises as they deal with a. direct hazard from attempts by the United States to expand its. security impact in the region, Russian Defence Minister. Sergei Shoigu stated on Friday.

He was speaking at a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation. Organisation (SCO), a security organizing that includes Russia,. India, China, Iran, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan. and Tajikistan.

I believe that everyone present shares the opinion that the. release of military facilities in the area by the. United States and its allies is inappropriate, Shoigu said.

Such objectives should be considered as a direct threat to. stability in the SCO space.

SCO member states must broaden the scope and geography of. their military exercises, he told the conference in the Kazakh. capital Astana.

His speech highlighted Russia's intent to reinforce. military ties with partners in Asia and withstand any erosion of. its impact there regardless of the intense demands on its army of. the war it has been defending more than two years in Ukraine.

In your home, Shoigu's position is under greater-than-usual. scrutiny after the arrest of one of his deputies this week in a. bribery scandal, an advancement that threatens to deteriorate him. politically.

In his speech, he implicated the US-led QUAD and AUKUS blocs of. trying to reshape the security structure in the Pacific to fit. themselves, and stated that increasing pressure was being put in. on China over Taiwan.

Shoigu stated the primary threat in Central Asia originated from. extreme terrorist groups located in Afghanistan. He stated the. United States was working to bring back impact in the area. that it lost after the withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan. in 2021.

Islamic State militants claimed duty for killing. more than 140 individuals at an auditorium near Moscow last month,. and the United States said it was the group's Afghan network. that planned the attack. Shoigu duplicated Russia's assertion that. Ukraine lagged it, an accusation that Kyiv has denied and. Washington states is rubbish.

In Ukraine, Shoigu stated foreign advisors were assisting Kyiv. prepare acts of sabotage on Russian area, which Ukraine. was using Western weapons to assault Russian civilian. facilities. He did not supply proof to support his. assertions.

(source: Reuters)