According to military sources in Naypyidaw, terrorist military leader Min Aung Hlaing has begun his trip to Russia on March 3, with plans to return to Naypyidaw on March 9. During this visit, he is scheduled to meet with Vladimir Putin, the Russian leader who has invaded Ukraine, on March 4. The trip also includes a visit to Belarus. This journey is considered highly significant for Min Aung Hlaing, and security measures have been implemented with extraordinary stringency, as confirmed by internal military sources.
The security arrangements for the trip notably minimize the involvement of civilian staff, with military officers taking primary responsibility for operations. Due to decreased trust in civilian personnel, even when civilian staff must be utilized, preference is given to those with previous military service backgrounds. Information regarding the trip is being kept strictly confidential, with access limited to relevant military officers, according to a military source in Naypyidaw. The extreme security measures and selective staffing reflect a growing distrust of civilian administrators and a heightened focus on maintaining secrecy around the military leader’s movements.
Min Aung Hlaing previously met with Russian leader Vladimir Putin during his attendance at the Eastern Economic Forum in September 2022. During that meeting, Min Aung Hlaing showed excessive deference to Putin, greeting him with a traditional gesture of respect and praising him as a world leader. This current trip marks his first visit to Russia since that time, and it is expected to focus on bilateral relations and military cooperation between the two countries. The visit comes at a time when both leaders face international criticism – Putin for his invasion of Ukraine and Min Aung Hlaing for his violent actions against Myanmar’s civilian population.
