Myanmar military offensive targets land for Russia-backed Dawei port project

Myanmar's military has been deploying hundreds of troops to forcibly clear areas designated for a Russia-backed special economic zone in the southern part of the country. This offensive has targeted a deep-sea port and power plant planned on the Andaman Sea, signaling the military's resolve to revive the project as a strategic alternative to the Strait of Malacca.

The junta chief-turned-President Min Aung Hlaing has been promoting Dawei as a gateway to South and West Asia during his visit to Thailand and discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The military has been conducting area-clearance operations, burning villages and sealing off surrounding lands since July. Aid workers supporting displaced communities were killed by the advancing military column in Yebyu Township on July 9.

The offensive has been reinforced by air and naval attacks, overwhelming local resistance groups. The military's push reflects a broader strategy to reclaim strategic territory and border zones lost since the 2021 coup, which triggered a civil war. The project, originally launched in 2008, stalled in 2013 due to local opposition and funding shortages. Myanmar's new government is now seeking to revive the project with Russian support.