Myanmar Military Launches Offensive to Clear Land for Russia-Backed Port Project

The Myanmar military has deployed hundreds of troops to the southern Tanintharyi Region to clear land designated for the Dawei Special Economic Zone, a Russia-backed project that includes a planned deep-sea port and power plant. This offensive follows a late June visit to the region by armed forces deputy chief Kyaw Swar Lin, who instructed soldiers to protect strategic projects. According to reports from resistance fighters and local activists, the military has used air and naval attacks to overwhelm local opposition, burning villages and sealing off tracts of land. One civil society group, the MAGGA Initiative, stated that three aid workers were killed on July 9 in Yebyu Township. Conflict monitor ACLED reported that a column of approximately 700 soldiers has been raiding villages and killing civilians since the operation began. The Dawei project is viewed as a strategic alternative to the Strait of Malacca. President Min Aung Hlaing recently promoted the project as a gateway to South and West Asia during meetings with Thai officials and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The project originally began in 2008 as a joint venture with Thailand but stalled in 2013 due to funding issues and local opposition. The Myanmar government and the Russian embassy have not responded to requests for comment.