Junta Foreign Minister Than Swe flew to the Russian capital Moscow on Tuesday for a working visit at the invitation of his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. He is the fifth junta minister to visit Russia in a week, in addition to two Union-level officials.
On Sept. 5, junta mouthpiece The Global New Light of Myanmar and Russia’s state-owned Sputnik International News Media signed a content-sharing agreement. The same day, the two countries launched direct flights, the first in more than 30 years.
Than Swe, who was part of the 16th intake of the Defense Services Academy and served as Myanmar’s ambassador to the US under Thein Sein’s quasi-civilian government, took the Yangon-Mandalay-Novosibirsk flight on Tuesday. The direct Myanmar-Russia flight will operate twice a week, every Tuesday and Saturday.
The foreign minister will be visiting Russia until Sept. 17. Junta media did not provide details about what Than Swe will be working on during the visit, however.
Than Swe will also visit Belarus at the invitation of his Belarusian counterpart Sergei Aleinik. Russia and Belarus are key arms suppliers of the regime. In October last year, the US imposed sanctions against three Myanmar arms dealers who help buy weapons from Belarus for the regime.
Junta-appointed Union Election Commission chair Thein Soe began the recent flurry of visits to Russia, visiting the country to observe local polls and sign a memorandum of understanding with Russia’s election body during his visit from Sept. 6-12.
Junta Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Mya Tun Oo, Investment Minister Dr. Kan Zaw, Industry Minister Charlie Than, Tourism Minister Thet Thet Khine, and Central Bank of Myanmar Governor Than Than Swe attended the Eastern Economic Forum from Sept. 10-13.
The junta ministers discussed the use of Mir cards for direct payments between Myanmar and Russia, as well as developing tourism between the two countries.
At the event, Charlie Than criticized the British for heavily exploiting Myanmar’s natural resources during colonial rule. He was also quoted by Russia’s state-owned media RIA as saying that two Su-30 fighters ordered from Russia had arrived in Myanmar, the first batch in a larger order.
Myanmar and Russia will soon sign an agreement for direct payments in rubles and kyats for oil trades between the two countries, said Dr. Kan Zaw.
The junta’s new defense minister, General Tin Aung San, also visited Russia last month to attend a military technical forum and the 11th Moscow Conference on International Security. Junta boss Min Aung Hlaing, who has visited Russia three times since his February 2021 coup, delivered a video address to the conference, claiming that his regime now has control over large parts of the country.
During Tin Aung San’s trip, his Russian counterpart unveiled the Myanmar Fighters Monument in Moscow to honor Myanmar soldiers who fought in World War II. The monument serves as a tribute to the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and Myanmar, symbolizing the strengthened ties in bilateral friendship and cooperation, the Russian defense minister was quoted as saying by junta media.
