BANGKOK: Myanmar’s military government is quietly expanding its air power, rolling out new Russian helicopters and Chinese transport planes at a moment when much of the world is urging it to stop the violence tearing the country apart.
Despite bans on weapons sales from the United States, the European Union, and other governments, Russia and China have continued to equip the Tatmadaw. U.N. estimates suggest the two nations have supplied the junta with hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of military hardware in recent years—a lifeline that has kept the military’s war machine running.
Photos released by the military this month show three Russian Mi-38T helicopters and two Chinese Y-8 aircraft newly added to the fleet. Analysts say these aren’t just showpieces; they’re likely to be used to ferry troops into Myanmar’s rugged mountain regions, where fighting with resistance forces has intensified.
Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing noted that conflicts around the world highlight “the essential role of all types of aircraft,” underscoring how crucial air power has become to the junta’s survival.
Experts say the new deliveries reveal something else: despite sanctions and growing global condemnation, the military still has friends willing to keep its arsenal stocked. “It just shows the Myanmar military continues to acquire important kit despite economic and diplomatic pressures,” said Morgan Michaels of the International Institute of Strategic Studies. Defence analysts also noted that Myanmar is the first known export customer for Russia’s Mi-38T helicopters—a sign of how deep Moscow’s support now runs.
A group of former Tatmadaw officers who have defected to support the pro-democracy resistance warned that these new aircraft suggest the military is preparing to rely even more heavily on airstrikes and aerial operations across the country.
With a Dec. 28 election approaching—one that many inside and outside Myanmar view as a sham—the Tatmadaw has intensified its push to reclaim towns and villages held by opposition forces. In recent months, it has retaken several key towns in northern Shan state along a crucial highway to China, including the strategic garrison city of Lashio. Through China-mediated talks, it also secured agreements allowing it to reoccupy two more towns, including Mogok, a region famous for its ruby mines.
But the fighting shows no signs of slowing. Acknowledging the instability, the junta has already said that elections will not take place in all 330 townships—voting, it says, will happen in phases, though many in Myanmar doubt the process will be free or fair.
