Russia and Myanmar Junta Leader Commit to Boosting Ties at Moscow Meeting

MOSCOW - Nikolai Patrushev, the secretary of Russia's Security Council, and Myanmar's junta leader committed to further strengthening security and other ties between the two countries at a Moscow meeting on Monday.

Myanmar's junta leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, flew to the Russian capital on Sunday to attend a security conference this week. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov earlier on Monday said President Vladimir Putin would not be meeting Min Aung Hlaing, Interfax reported. Rights activists have accused Moscow of legitimizing Myanmar’s military junta, which came to power in a Feb. 1 coup, by continuing bilateral visits and arms deals. Russia says it has a long-standing relationship with Myanmar and said in March it was deeply concerned by the rising number of civilian deaths in Myanmar.