File – Russian President Vladimir Putin and Myanmar’s Senior General Min Aung Hlaing pose for a photo during their meeting on the sideline of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia, Wednesday, September 7, 2022/Photo:AFP
Mizzima
The Myanmar junta is starting to rely more on Russia than it does on China as relations with China have worsened, according to political analysts.
Junta ties with Russia have improved whilst, according to the International Crisis Group (ICG), Myanmar’s relations with China since the Myanmar coup have been dogged by mutual mistrust.
In an interview with the ITAR-TASS news agency in March 2024, the junta chief Min Aung Hlaing said that the cooperation between Russia and Myanmar in military technology and defence had increased.
In February 2022 , Russia and Myanmar signed an Intergovernmental Agreement on cooperation in the use of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, on the sidelines of Russia Energy Week conference. In June 2022, the first meeting of a joint coordinating committee, established as part of the Intergovernmental Agreement, was held. Over 15 months, from June 2022 to 6 October 2023 there were 10 meetings between officials of Russia and Myanmar to discuss nuclear power, according to official announcements.
The junta has also bought Russian-made Mi-35 helicopters, MIG-29 jet fighters and YAK-130 trainers, according to a report by the United Nations (UN) special envoy for Myanmar, Tom Andrews.
When the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, visited Myanmar in August 2022, the two countries signed a Memorandum of understanding (MoU) saying that the two countries would cooperate in the political, economic and social sectors.
Russia has also said that it is closely cooperating with Myanmar in trade, economics, and the cultural and educational sectors.
Russia and Myanmar are also in talks to reach an agreement that would see the them able to make payments for oil in their local currencies, the Myanmar kyat and the Russian ruble.
The Myanmar junta is also the current coordinator of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) -Russian relations. It will hold the post from 2024 TO 2027.
