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Reuters
Reuters
Business

Russia says to boost military ties with Myanmar as junta leader visits

Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Myanmar's Commander in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing walk past the honour guard prior to their talks in Moscow, Russia June 22, 2021. Picture taken June 22, 2021. Vadim Savitskiy/Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation/Handout via REUTERS

(Removes garble in general's name)

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told visiting junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing that Moscow is committed to strengthening military ties with Myanmar, Russia's RIA news agency reported.

"We are determined to continue our efforts to strengthen bilateral ties based on the mutual understanding, respect and trust that have been established between our countries," RIA quoted Shoigu as saying at a meeting late on Tuesday.

Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Myanmar's Commander in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing walk past the honour guard prior to their talks in Moscow, Russia June 22, 2021. Picture taken June 22, 2021. Vadim Savitskiy/Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation/Handout via REUTERS

Min Aung Hlaing was in the Russian capital to attend a security conference this week.

Rights activists have accused Moscow of legitimising Myanmar's military junta, which came to power in a Feb. 1 coup, by continuing bilateral visits and arms deals.

Russia said in March it was deeply concerned by the rising number of civilian deaths in Myanmar.

Commander-in-Chief of Myanmar's armed forces, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing attends the IX Moscow conference on international security in Moscow, Russia June 23, 2021. Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool via REUTERS

Defence ties between the two countries have grown in recent years with Moscow providing army training and university scholarships to thousands of soldiers, as well as selling arms to a military blacklisted by several Western countries.

(Reporting by Olzhas Auyezov, Editing by Timothy Heritage)

Commander-in-Chief of Myanmar's armed forces, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing attends the IX Moscow conference on international security in Moscow, Russia June 23, 2021. Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool via REUTERS
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