Head of military government travels to ally Russia for talks with Putin

Myanmar’s military leader Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing waves as he departs from Naypyidaw international airport, Myanmar

The head of Myanmar’s military government traveled to Russia yesterday on an official visit to a major ally of the Southeast Asian nation that has been shunned by much of the West for overthrowing a democratically elected government and subsequent brutal repression.

Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, who departed from the military airport in the capital, Naypyitaw, will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The general is accompanied by fellow members of the ruling military council and Cabinet, as well as military officials, state television MRTV reported.

The report said Min Aung Hlaing will also meet with other top Russian officials and discuss bilateral ties, economic affairs and security with the aim to strengthen strategic cooperation.

Russia, along with China, is a major supporter and arms supplier of Myanmar’s military government. Russian-made fighter jets are used in attacks on territory under the control of ethnic minority groups, many of which are allies with pro-democracy resistance forces.

Russia defends Myanmar’s military government in international forums, and the ruling generals generally support Moscow’s foreign policy agenda.

Western nations have ostracized Myanmar’s ruling generals and maintain economic and political sanctions against them because of their takeover and violent repression of opposition, which has led to the deaths of thousands of civilians and given rise to an armed conflict widely seen as a civil war.

The trip is Min Aung Hlaing’s fourth to Russia since his army seized power in February 2021 from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. His one known previous meeting with Putin was on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum held in the eastern Russian city of Vladivostok in September 2022.

Russia and Myanmar have also held joint military drills and signed a pact on developing nuclear power. Myanmar’s military government is planning to allow general laborers to go to Russia for work. MDT/AP