Junta Air Force Commissions Russian, Chinese-Made Fighter Jets

Amid daily airstrikes on civilians and widespread condemnation of its war crimes and crimes against humanity, the Myanmar regime’s air force on Thursday held a commissioning ceremony for four fighter jets, including two Russian-made Su-30 multirole fighter jets.

At the ceremony at Mandalay’s Meiktila Air Base, junta chief Min Aung Hlaing urged the air force to make “effective” use of its aircraft and weapons systems amid escalating airstrikes on civilian targets in the territories lost to anti-regime resistance groups, including Rakhine State, which is almost entirely controlled by the Arakan Army.

The regime didn’t release specific details about its newly commissioned fighter jets, but based on photographs of the event, former air force personnel said that the four aircraft comprised two Su-30 fighter jets and two Chinese-made K-8W fighter aircraft.