Myanmar Junta Leader's Putin Fawning Shows Russia Is His Insurance Policy

Min Aung Hlaing's cringeworthy Moscow state visit drew laughs, yet behind the theatrics lies calculations designed to cement the junta's grip.

- Bhavan Jaipragas

For all the talk of an abhorrent new world order in which small nations are forced to pay obeisance to the powerful, some countries seem happy to bow even before the whip is cracked. Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing gave us a vivid example of this last week during his trip to Russia.

On social media, the diaspora aligned with the junta's foes in the country's civil war tore into General Min Aung Hlaing's seemingly deferential body language—and, more tellingly, the official readouts of what was said in his Kremlin meeting with President Vladimir Putin.

"I am proud of you that under your leadership Russia has become a No. 1 country in the world, if I may say so," a Kremlin statement quotes Gen Min Aung Hlaing as telling Mr. Putin.

"We would like to describe you not as the leader of Russia but the leader of the world, because you are monitoring and masterminding stability in the world."

If that wasn't sycophantic enough, the junta chief also spoke of an obscure prophecy about Russia-Myanmar ties—which even included alluding to Mr. Putin, in a complimentary manner, as a "reincarnated rat king."

The Russian leader did not acknowledge that odd characterization, but he did thank the general—seen in pool images beaming as he gave Mr. Putin a bear hug—for the six elephants the junta donated to the Great Moscow Circus in January.

"Things can't be more cringe and embarrassing than this," read a comment by a popular X account supportive of Myanmar's underground government that opposes military rule.

NO LAUGHING MATTER

All that comic relief aside, observers of Myanmar warn this was no mere sideshow. Far from it—in fact, there are good reasons to argue that the visit underscores a deepening realignment with Russia that could decisively alter the country's grinding conflict.