Myanmar junta officials offering Russian language training for civil servants

Russian-speaking officers in Myanmar’s military have reportedly made Russian language training available to the employees of some junta-controlled ministries in Naypyitaw since last month, according to ministry personnel. Officials and departmental staff from the junta’s ministry of hotels and tourism and the ministry of legal affairs are known to have attended the language study sessions. Staff with an interest in learning Russian are required to attend lessons five days a week for two hours at a time, with the respective ministries covering the costs of learning materials and other expenses, sources inside the ministries said. “Russian language was first taught to employees of the hotels and tourism ministry,” said a departmental employee who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons. “Staff from the ministry of legal affairs have also been attending and they’re planning to teach other ministries as well,” he added. The training will reportedly next be offered to staff in the junta’s ministries of foreign affairs and planning and finance. Staff from the junta’s ministry of hotels and tourism in Pyin Oo Lwin, Mandalay Region, at a Russian language course completion ceremony (Photo: Military council’s ministry of information) While staff have been able to take advantage of English language training in successive administrations, this is the first time Russian language training has been on offer, according to a ministry employee with more than 10 years’ experience. Junta chief Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has sought ways to cultivate closer relations with Russia, which included an agreement between the two countries to cooperate in building a small nuclear power plant in Myanmar, announced in February last year. Myanmar’s military council also expressed support for the president of Russia in the face of widespread condemnation and comprehensive sanctions imposed by Western governments following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Similarly isolated by the international community since governments around the world refused to recognise the Myanmar military regime’s legitimacy following the coup of 2021, Min Aung Hlaing and his top ministers have visited Russia several times since the military seized power. In an interview with Russian state media, the chair of the military proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party Khin Yi also appealed to Russia to provide military assistance to the junta, which has been losing territory to ethnic armed groups and resistance forces. At a time when most travellers from Western countries and China are disinclined to visit Myanmar due to ongoing violence in the country, the junta has been encouraging tourism from Russia. Staff at hotels in Naypyitaw frequented by Russian nationals are often already trained to speak Russian. Following the 2021 coup, the junta also added Russian language to the civil service curriculum along with required supplementary military training at the two premier institutions for ministry employees’ post-hire training.

Myanmar junta officials offering Russian language training for civil servants

Russian language lessons are available to staff in select junta-controlled ministries as the military regime continues to cultivate closer relations with Russia

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