European Firm Secretly Supplied Jets to Myanmar Junta

A European aircraft manufacturer has been accused of quietly delivering planes to Myanmar’s military regime despite EU sanctions, according to an investigation by Le Monde and the UK‑based Center for Information Resilience.

The probe reveals that Aircraft Industries, a Czech company, shipped at least four Let 410 aircraft to the junta between September 2024 and October 2025. These deliveries took place even though the European Union bans the export of weapons and dual‑use goods to Myanmar, where the military has waged a brutal campaign since seizing power in 2021.

The Let 410 is a versatile aircraft. It can carry passengers, serve as an air ambulance, or be adapted to transport troops and equipment. Investigators say evidence shows the planes are being used by Myanmar’s air force, contradicting the company’s claim that they are deployed only for civilian purposes.

Aircraft Industries did not publicise the sales, breaking with its usual practice, and even masked flight data for one of the planes. Yet open‑source information confirmed their arrival in Yangon. Contacted by Le Monde, the company admitted the deliveries but insisted it remained compliant with EU rules.

The revelations come against the backdrop of a civil war that has killed more than 75,000 people since the coup and displaced millions. Rights groups argue that supplying aircraft to the junta, even under the guise of civilian use, risks enabling further attacks on civilians.

For Brussels, the case raises urgent questions about enforcement of sanctions and the loopholes exploited by companies trading with regimes under embargo. For Myanmar’s population, it underscores the international dimension of a conflict that continues to devastate communities across the country.

-2026-02-26