Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing thanks Russia for boosting its military
- ‘Thanks to Russia, our army has become one of the strongest in the region,’ Min Aung Hlaing said, according to Russian news agency TASS
- Min Aung Hlaing is in Moscow for an international security conference which brings together defence officials from around the world
Myanmar’s junta chief on Tuesday thanked Russia, a major weapons supplier to the troubled Southeast Asian country, for strengthening the army which seized power in a coup earlier this year.
Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military overthrew civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) government in February.
Russia has backed its ally and warned the West against sanctioning the junta.
“Thanks to Russia, our army has become one of the strongest in the region,” Russian news agency TASS cited Min Aung Hlaing as telling Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu during a meeting in Moscow.
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The friendship between Russia and Myanmar is becoming “stronger and stronger”, the junta leader said, according to his comments translated into Russian.
“Myanmar for us is a time-tested strategic partner and reliable ally,” Shoigu said, adding that military cooperation is an “important component” of Russia-Myanmar relations.