Russia enters Shan tungsten race

The Irrawaddy

Russia has launched its first known tungsten mining project in eastern Shan State, setting up a direct contest with a Chinese operation already active in the same area, according to the Shan Human Rights Foundation (SHRF).

The site, north of Loi Khi Lek mountain in Mongton Township, has been approved by Myanmar’s military authorities. Just south of the peak, in Mong Jawd, a large Chinese-run mine began production in February, working with the United Wa State Army (UWSA) to ship tungsten across the border.

Villagers first noticed Russian survey teams in May last year, escorted by regime troops and police. By January, locals were told the project had secured extraction rights from Naypyitaw. The SHRF says a UWSA administrator even urged residents to protest against the Russian venture.

While Moscow’s involvement in Shan marks a new front, Russian companies are already active in iron mining further south, partnering with military-owned Myanmar Economic Cooperation to run a steel plant in Hopong Township.

Environmental concerns loom large. The SHRF reports that waste from the Chinese mine has polluted the Pak Goot stream, causing skin infections and damaging rice fields. Water shortages have also hit households after the stream was dammed to supply the mine.

Observers warn that the Russian arrival could unsettle the UWSA, which has long dominated resource extraction in the region with Chinese backing. “The UWSA would be very disappointed with the military for crossing into their area with a Russian company,” said Sai Mueng, editor of the Shan Herald Agency for News. He suggested the move was a calculated attempt by Myanmar’s generals to balance ties between Beijing and Moscow.

Since seizing power in 2021, coup leader Min Aung Hlaing has courted Russia, signing deals in trade, banking, mining and technology. Bilateral trade has more than doubled in recent years, though it remains far behind China’s. Vice-President Nyo Saw reinforced the partnership at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum last week, meeting Russian investors to discuss further cooperation.

The tungsten race in Shan now pits two global powers against each other, with local communities caught between environmental damage and geopolitical rivalry.

-2026-06-07