East Wing: direct flights from Moscow to Myanmar will be launched in 2025

Russia and Myanmar have agreed to introduce a visa-free regime, and a bilateral agreement is planned to be concluded within one to two months. In addition, direct flights from Moscow to Myanmar may be launched as early as 2025, Foreign Minister Tan Swei told Izvestia. The airlines agreed. At a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Myanmar Prime Minister Min Aung Hlaing on March 4, the parties agreed to strengthen cooperation in the economic and humanitarian fields. The prospects for the development of relations between the two countries are described in the Izvestia article.

When will the visa-free regime with Myanmar be launched?

Russia and Myanmar have agreed to introduce a visa-free regime, and a bilateral agreement is planned to be concluded within one to two months. This was stated to Izvestia by Myanmar's Foreign Minister Tan Swei.

— Yes, actually, I think we have already agreed. We are expecting the Russian side. They said it would take about one to two months," the head of Myanmar's foreign ministry told Izvestia.

At the same time, the airlines of the two countries have agreed to launch direct flights from Moscow as early as 2025, and permission to connect with the Russian capital has been received, the diplomat says. Since 2023, there has been a direct connection between Myanmar's second largest city, Mandalay, and Novosibirsk.

— I think we will try to start this year. We would like to extend this to Moscow. We try to establish contact with responsible persons in the field of tourism and other business cooperation. I think that we may have the opportunity of direct flights to Moscow. In fact, the airlines have already agreed on this. We also have an agreement on flights with Moscow," Tan Swei told Izvestia.

The Foreign Minister of Myanmar recalled that back in 2023, Russian tourists were granted the right to enter Myanmar without a visa for up to 30 days. Moreover, in the case of a multiple-entry visa, this period is extended to 90 days. Russian banks have done a lot of work to launch Mir cards in the country, with which tourists can pay in hotels and shops, said Maxim Reshetnikov, Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation. In addition, Myanmar guides are actively trained in Russia.

Tourism to Myanmar is not widespread, it is a niche, narrow-segment destination. The country is living under martial law, which is a repulsive factor for many tourists, and there is virtually no good beach vacation there, Maya Kotlyar, founder and CEO of MAYEL Travel, told Izvestia.

— If direct flights to Myanmar are launched, the demand will be about 30-40 thousand tourists per year. People who love everything unusual and are mentally prepared for poverty and ruin travel there," the expert noted.

To attract tourists, it should be organized tourism in combination with visits to China, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia or Vietnam, she summarizes.

In what areas are Russia and Myanmar developing cooperation?

Tourism is just one of the areas in which Moscow and Naypyidaw are strengthening cooperation. Relations between the two countries are based on a powerful historical foundation: the USSR and Burma established diplomatic relations in 1948. Moscow provided substantial technical and material assistance to the young republic, which gained independence from Great Britain and built socialism. In particular, Soviet specialists helped to build important facilities for the local economy, and the USSR supplied equipment, machinery, coal, chemicals, petroleum products and other goods to the country. However, then the cooperation between the two countries practically came to naught.

From 1988 to 2011, power in Myanmar belonged to the military, the country was largely closed from the outside world. Then political reforms were carried out, and the party led by Aung San Suu Kyi came to power. However, the situation has not improved — in 2016, the conflict with the Rohingya people living on the border with Bangladesh entered an acute phase. Since 2017, about one million Rohingya who practice Islam have fled Myanmar to neighboring countries.

In February 2021, the military staged a coup, and General Min Aung Hlaing was appointed Prime Minister. Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced to prison, but her supporters turned to guerrilla warfare. The Government of Myanmar does not control all areas of the country, and the struggle against armed supporters of the overthrown government in the republic continues. To stabilize the situation in Myanmar, preparations are underway for the elections scheduled for November 2025.

The military's rise to power served as an impetus for the development of relations with Russia. The head of the new government of Myanmar, Min Aung Hlaing, visited the Russian Federation twice in 2022 and took part in the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok. Myanmar directly supported Russia after the start of a special military operation in Ukraine and opposed the sanctions. With Moscow's support, the Asian republic received the status of an SCO dialogue partner in May 2023 and signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Commission in June of the same year.

In early March, Myanmar's Prime Minister Min Aung Hlaing arrived on his 11th visit to Russia. On March 4, the leader of Myanmar met with the leadership of Russia, including President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. In addition to Moscow, Min Aung Hlaing visited St. Petersburg, and a visit to the rocket and space center in Samara is also planned.

In total, following the talks, representatives of Russia and Myanmar signed 10 different documents. The parties agreed to open two more consulates in Russia — in St. Petersburg and Novosibirsk. In addition, an agreement was signed on the recognition of diplomas and academic degrees, as well as a memorandum on the basic principles of the construction of low-power nuclear power plants in Myanmar. Even without nuclear energy, Russia is the main supplier of oil to the Asian republic, accounting for about 90% of imports of black gold. In addition to economic cooperation, Moscow and Naypyidaw are strengthening cooperation in the cultural and humanitarian fields. The development of air travel and visa-free travel will bring the peoples of the two countries closer.