US sanctions Myanmar junta-linked businessman over buying Russian-made arms

A Myanmar businessman suspected of being linked to the ruling military junta has been sanctioned over his alleged buying of Russian-made arms. The US targeted Aung Moe Myint, his company and two of its directors for allegedly procuring Russian-made weapons from Belarus for the junta.

According to South China Morning Post, Aung is the son of a military officer with the US Treasury saying he facilitated arms deals for missiles and aircraft. His company, Dynasty International Company Limited, and two of its directors are also accused of being involved. The sanction effectively freezes any US assets of those designated and bars Americans from dealing with them. Russia is considered the main source of military hardware for Myanmar’s junta and has allegedly provided diplomatic cover despite worldwide condemnation of the coup.

In February 2021, the military staged a coup in Myanmar, ousting the democratically-elected National League For Democracy party. Aung San Suu Kyi was the leader of the party and was detained by the military along with party members. Recently, she was sentenced to three more years in jail, along with her Australian economic adviser.

The US State Department also banned former Myanmar police chief and deputy homes affairs minister Than Hlaing from travelling to the US over his involvement in alleged human rights violations. The US Treasury says the extrajudicial killings of peaceful protesters in February 2021 were included in those violations. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken gave more information about the junta’s connections to Russia.

“These designations also implicate the Burmese military’s long-time ties to the Russian and Belarusian militaries. We will continue to use our sanctions authorities to target those in Burma and elsewhere supporting Russia’s unlawful invasion of Ukraine, as well as Russia and Belarus’ facilitation of the Burmese regime’s violence against its people.”