Myanmar’s president heads to Moscow seeking Russian arms and oil
Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to host Myanmar’s Min Aung Hlaing on Tuesday, as the Southeast Asian leader seeks an economic reboot for his war-ravaged country and fresh supplies of fertiliser, oil and weapons. A pariah to much of the West over his 2021 coup and role as army chief during the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya Muslim minority, Min Aung Hlaing has nonetheless found friends…
Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to meet with Myanmar’s Min Aung Hlaing in Moscow on Tuesday to discuss economic cooperation and secure supplies of oil, fertilizer, and weapons for the war-torn country. Min Aung Hlaing, who has found allies in Beijing, New Delhi, and Bangkok since his 2021 coup, is expected to request more defense deals with Russia, a leading arms supplier since the military takeover.
Human rights groups have criticized Russia's involvement, citing the use of its aircraft in military campaigns against civilians, and the potential profiting from areas where civilians are under attack. The meeting comes as Myanmar faces international criticism for its 2021 coup and ongoing civil war, with over 100,000 deaths and 16 million people in need of humanitarian aid.
Russia and China have provided diplomatic support to Myanmar, securing a strategic foothold in the Mekong region.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
