And don't forget South East Asia. Russian influence is growing in our neighbourhood too, starting with arms sales. Putin is now the leading arms dealer in the region, outstripping the US.
Because of rising concerns in Southeast Asia over the past decade about China’s growing assertiveness, countries have found it economical to build up their military forces by buying Russian arms. Russian arms are competitively priced and capable, and there are no questions asked about what they'll be used for. The Russian air and missile defence system S-400 may be better than the US Patriot system at only half the price, for instance.
Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia (looking at replacing US aircraft with Russian Sukhois) and even US defence treaty allies Thailand and the Philippines have looked into making purchases from Russia.
