2023-11-03 22:35:00
Russia and the junta in power in Burma will soon cooperate in an unprecedented way. Moscow has in fact announced that the two countries were going to conduct joint naval military exercises, a first in their “recent history”. Friday, November 3, Nikolai Yevmenov, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, “began his working visit” to Burma, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced in a press release.
READ ALSO Burma, in the heart of darkness: behind the scenes of our exclusive reportNikolai Yevmenov’s program includes “his participation in the opening ceremony of the first Russian-Burmese naval exercise in recent history” and a visit to the “warships” taking part, according to Moscow. He is also due to meet Burmese leaders during this trip which aims to “strengthen naval cooperation” between the two countries, the ministry said.
Three destroyers already in Myanmar
According to the Burmese press, taken up by the opposition media The Irrawaddy, naval military exercises have already begun. Russian warships have in fact already arrived in Myanmar, namely three destroyers with 800 crew members on board.
READ ALSO The war of nerves between Russia and NATO experienced from the Black SeaNikolai Yevmenov’s visit comes as fighting rages in northern Burma, near the Chinese border, following a coordinated offensive by ethnic minority groups last week. This conflict represents a threat of an unprecedented order for the army since the 2021 coup d’état against Aung San Suu Kyi. Moscow is a valuable ally for the junta that seized power in the Southeast Asian country in a coup in 2021, providing it with arms and diplomatic support.
Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing met Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2022 during one of his many trips to Russia since taking power, and the Myanmar military called the invasion “justified” of Ukraine through Moscow.
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