According to military sources in Naypyidaw, military council leader Min Aung Hlaing will depart on May 6 to attend the Victory Day ceremony at Red Square in Moscow, Russia. He will be traveling on a recently purchased Airbus aircraft. The aircraft in question is an Airbus A319-115 with registration number XY-ALK, which was purchased outright in February.
The ceremony, scheduled for May 9 at Red Square in Moscow, Russian Federation, commemorates the 80th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. The military council has announced that Myanmar military personnel will participate in the parade, with a military delegation led by Brigadier General Myoset Aung having already departed for Russia on April 23.
The military council leader, who previously had to rely on chartered aircraft for his international trips, will now be able to travel using his own aircraft. Despite facing international pressure and economic challenges, the military council has maintained its relationship with Russia. This trip is viewed by the military council as a significant diplomatic engagement between the two countries. The military council’s continued participation in such international events, particularly with Russia, demonstrates its efforts to maintain international connections despite widespread condemnation of its actions against civilians in Myanmar.
