Military leader Min Aung Hlaing departed for Belarus on June 25, notably without his wife Kyu Kyu Hla. However, on June 28, when arriving in Russia’s Buryatia region, the couple was seen disembarking together from the aircraft. During his visit to Belarus from June 26 to 27, where he attended the Europe-Asia Economic Forum, his wife was conspicuously absent throughout the Belarus portion of the trip. This sudden appearance of Kyu Kyu Hla in Russia has drawn attention to the military council’s use of state resources for personal purposes.
According to military sources in Naypyidaw, only Min Aung Hlaing and his delegation initially traveled to Belarus, without any of their spouses. After the conference concluded, they reportedly arranged a separate flight to bring Kyu Kyu Hla and other delegates’ wives to join them in Russia. This pattern of using the state-purchased aircraft for family convenience has been documented on multiple occasions. The sources indicate that the MAI Airbus A319 is being treated as though it were private family property, with flights arranged at will for family members.
A particularly notable instance occurred in June 2021, during a ceremonial offering at a replica of Shwedagon Pagoda in Moscow, Russia. While Min Aung Hlaing and his wife had already arrived in Russia, they sent the aircraft back to Myanmar specifically to transport their children to attend the ceremony where Sitagu Sayadaw was performing the ritual. At that time, the aircraft was only leased, but it has since been purchased using state funds. This demonstrates a pattern of using state resources for personal family travel arrangements.
In February 2023, the military council purchased the Airbus A319-115 (MSN 5193) aircraft XY-ALK from the US-based AVIATION CAPITAL GROUP for nearly 60 million US dollars, using state budget funds. This aircraft, initially leased for Min Aung Hlaing and his family’s use, has since become their de facto private transport. The family, particularly his wife and children, frequently use this state-funded aircraft for shopping trips and leisure travel to countries including Singapore and Korea. Analysts point out that this use of state-purchased assets as personal property represents a significant misuse of public funds, especially considering the current economic challenges facing the country. The practice of using state resources for personal family matters has raised concerns about the military council’s management of national assets and public funds.
