Russia's Foreign Minister makes official visit to Myanmar

Sergey Lavrov met with his counterpart, Wunna Maung Lwin and other top Myanmar officials shortly after his arrival in the capital, Naypyitaw, Russia's Foreign Ministry wrote on Twitter.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Myanmar, on August 3, for an official visit that Moscow said will include discussions with the military government on security and economic issues, the Russian news agency TASS reported.

Russia is a major supporter of Myanmar’s military government, which came to power in February last year when it ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Mr. Lavrov met with his counterpart, Wunna Maung Lwin and other top Myanmar officials shortly after his arrival in the capital, Naypyitaw, Russia's Foreign Ministry wrote on Twitter.

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Western nations have ostracised Myanmar's ruling generals and maintain economic- and political sanctions against them because of their takeover and violent repression of opposition.

Mr. Lavrov’s visit, his first to Myanmar, comes ahead of his attendance at a meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), hosted by Cambodia this week.

Myanmar has been in a state of increasing turmoil since the army takeover last year and its military regularly carries out attacks on armed pro-democracy militants and their supporters and ethnic minority militias that have long battled for greater political autonomy. United Nations experts have described the country as being in a civil war.