MOSCOW, May 23 -- Some countries deliberately stoked tensions in Ukraine to advance their geopolitical goals, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told the 3rd international security conference here.

"Regional instability may be advantageous for certain countries as a convenient pretext for extensive reconfiguration of the existent security architecture," Interfax news agency quoted Shoigu as saying.

He stopped short of pointing out which countries he has hinted on.However, in April in a telephone conversation with his U.S. counterpart Chuck Hagel, Shoigu said the Western military activity had been growing substantially and was "accompanied by provocative statements" on the wake of events in Ukraine.

According to Shoigu's deputy Anatoly Antonov, the events in Ukraine prove correctness of that suggestion.

"The toughest scenario had been chosen for Ukraine," Antonov told the conference.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted by the country's parliament, Supreme Rada, in February following months of street protests against his decision to reverse Ukraine's reproach with the European Union. He fled Ukraine for Russia a few days afterwards.

The two-day conference has been held under auspices of the Defense Ministry with over 300 experts and officials from 40 countries attending.

The conference discusses ways of countering forceful regime changes, "Arab Spring" consequences, as well as situation in Afghanistan following planned withdrawal of the International Security Assistance Force, the Defense Ministry website said.