Sergei Shoigu , who was Vladimir Putin ’s defense minister when Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, has said that countries in Asia are forming groups which are aligned with NATO .

During a visit to Vietnam, Shoigu, who is now secretary of Russia ’s Security Council, told reporters of the emergence of "embryos of NATO in the East," which could threaten Russia and members of ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations).

Newsweek has contacted NATO for comment.

Why It Matters

Shoigu was one of the faces of Putin’s full-scale invasion which the Kremlin justified in part as a response to NATO’s encroachment on Russia’s borders.

His latest comments in his role as Security Council head reiterate Moscow’s rhetoric about an expanding alliance to an Asian audience.

See Full Page