Myanmar’s military has taken delivery of new helicopters and aircraft from Russia and China, reinforcing its air power despite international sanctions and mounting pressure to end the country’s civil war.

 

The Tatmadaw, as the military is known, commissioned three Russian Mi-38T helicopters and two Chinese Y-8 transport planes during a ceremony in Naypyitaw on 7 November. The aircraft are expected to support troop movements in mountainous regions and bolster the military’s control over contested areas.

 

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, head of the military government, said the additions reflect the “essential role” of air power amid both global and domestic conflicts. Analysts say the move underscores Myanmar’s deepening reliance on Moscow and Beijing, who continue to supply arms despite Western sanctions.

 

“This shows the military’s ability to acquire critical equipment despite diplomatic isolation,” said Morgan Michaels of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Myanmar is reportedly the first known export customer for Russia’s Mi-38T model.

 

The delivery comes as the Tatmadaw intensifies its campaign against pro-democracy forces and ethnic militias ahead of a controversial general election scheduled for 28 December. The vote, the first since the 2021 coup that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government, has been widely dismissed as illegitimate, with Suu Kyi imprisoned and her party banned.

 

Since the coup, Myanmar has descended into civil war. Peaceful protests were crushed with deadly force, prompting the rise of armed resistance groups. The military has lost control of large swathes of territory but continues to dominate the skies, using airstrikes to deadly effect.

 

In recent months, the Tatmadaw has retaken several towns in Shan state and the Mandalay region, including the strategic hub of Lashio and the ruby-mining centre of Mogok. A Chinese-brokered deal with a major ethnic armed group also helped secure further gains.

 

However, the military has acknowledged that voting in December will not take place in all 330 townships due to ongoing conflict, and polls will be held in phases.

 

Observers warn that the latest arms deliveries signal a renewed push by the junta to consolidate power through force, rather than dialogue — with civilians once again caught in the crossfire.

 

 

-2025-11-13

Russia and China have joined the United States as the foremost human rights violators by fostering the indiscriminate mass-murder of civilians of all ages.