MOSCOW -- Russia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations launched their first-ever joint naval exercise on Wednesday, marking a new security twist in a region roiled by territorial disputes with China and the emergence of the U.S.-led AUKUS alliance.
The drills, scheduled to run until Friday, feature warships from seven of the 10 ASEAN member states and the Russian Pacific Fleet's Admiral Panteleyev destroyer. The exercise consists of an online and at-sea component, with the latter taking place in Indonesia's territorial waters off North Sumatra.
