First naval exercise in the South-Chinese sea for Russia and seven ASEAN countries

Commander of the Vladivostok-based battleship said the second drills might take place in the Russian Far East.

Russia and the Association of Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN) finished the first naval exercise off the shores of the island of Sumatra, Indonesia.

Eight military ships and four planes from Russia and seven of ASEAN countries - Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Brunei, Vietnam and Singapore - took part in the three-day-long drills. 

The two-stage naval exercise was aimed at increasing interoperability between ASEAN member countries and the Russian fleet in the strategic sea area.

The drills came amid rising tensions between the major powers in the South China Sea, a resource-rich waterway of geopolitical importance.

Alexey Bolotnikov, the commander of the Russian ‘Admiral Panteleev’ battleship said he hoped the next exercise would be organised in Vladivostok, the Far East of Russia.