Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing Begins Official Visit to Russia

Myanmar's President Min Aung Hlaing departed for Russia on Monday for his first official visit to the country since assuming the presidency in April, according to state media.

This marks the fifth country the former general has visited as president, following trips to India, China, Laos, and Thailand earlier this month.

The visit comes as Min Aung Hlaing continues to seek international legitimacy after becoming president through a parliamentary vote that followed an election dominated by an army-backed party, with no viable opposition present. He remains subject to a range of Western sanctions.

During his time as junta chief, Min Aung Hlaing made four visits to Russia, beginning in June 2021, five months after the coup, to attend a security conference. He visited twice in 2022 and again in March 2025, when he held formal talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

Energy cooperation is a key focus of the bilateral relationship. The two countries signed an agreement in 2025 to construct a small-scale nuclear power plant in Myanmar. In February 2025, they also signed a memorandum on investment cooperation for the Dawei Special Economic Zone, which includes plans for a port and an oil refinery.

The current trip includes a Myanmar-Russia business forum. Accompanying Min Aung Hlaing are the chief minister of the Tanintharyi region, where Dawei is located, and the head of Myanmar's aerospace agency.

Defence ties have deepened in recent years, with Moscow providing army training and university scholarships to thousands of Myanmar soldiers, as well as selling arms to a military that has been blacklisted by some Western countries. Russia has also said it will help train Myanmar's first cosmonaut.