Ukraine discovered to be exporting aircraft parts to the Tatmadaw
However Ukraine voted for the resolution at the UN General Assembly vote to suspend arms supplies to Myanmar…
Ukraine has developed deep links to the Myanmar military, with arms exports and technology transfers continuing, even after the Myanmar military has committed mass murder amounting to atrocity crimes following its illegitimate coup attempt.
According to Ukrainian export data, accessed via Import Genius, Motor Sich exported engines and parts to Myanmar twice since the military’s attempted coup. A May 2021 shipment to the Myanmar army’s directorate of procurement contained turbojet engine equipment, and a February shipment to the private air force supplier Sky Aviator contained mechanical parts.
Motor Sich is a major Ukrainian manufacturer of engines for aircraft and missiles. The Ukrainian state is nationalising the firm from its majority-owned Chinese. A Ministry of Defence document leaked to Justice For Myanmar, details the purchase of Mil Mi-17 parts from Motor Sich in 2015-16 via Myanmar Avia Export (predecessor of Myanmar Avia Services), a crony company owned by Tay Za. Ukrainian export records also show a series of shipments to the Myanmar Air Force from 2019 onwards.
In May 2021, state-owned arms manufacturer Ukroboronservice shipped over 164 kilos of aircraft parts to Yatanarpon Aviation. This followed shipments in December 2020 of navigational devices and control instruments to Yatanarpon Aviation.
In June 2021 Ukraine voted in favour of a UN General Assembly resolution to stop the flow of arms to Myanmar. The country’s transfers are only the most recent examples of significant arms links that amount to aiding and abetting the atrocity crimes of the Myanmar military.
DPA Notes: According to the report/story on the Ukrainian ties to the Tatmadaw, the military ties continue to deepen despite the military coup earlier this year.
This link seems to be under reported, as China and especially Russia seemed to dominate the headline of any arms sales to Myanmar.
This revelation could have some implications for Ukraine as they seek to gain more support or even join the European Union, while the European Union condemns the military coup in Myanmar and had already legislated several rounds of sanctions against individuals and military-controlled entities in Myanmar.
The quoted company, Motor Sich seemed to be a rebel of a company which is previously investigated by Ukraine government for “subversive act” by supplying military hardware to Russia despite Ukraine is technically in a state of war due to the Donbass/Crimea situation with Russia.
Which means that Motor Sich’s sales to Myanmar, may not be in the radar and knowledge of the Ukrainian government, despite the note in the report that its currently being nationalised from Chinese hands.
The other mention company, UkrOboronProm had denied the allegations stating that they had not exported lethal military goods/services to Myanmar in the past 3 years. Although, aircraft parts can be rather subjective if you only look at it at just the parts and not what the parts contribute to – which means they might be objectively correct when they rejected the accusations.
The Council today imposed sanctions on 8 individuals, 3 economic entities and the War Veterans Organisation in relation to the military coup staged in Myanmar/Burma on 1 February 2021, and the ensuing repression against peaceful demonstrators. The EU’s restrictive measures are largely aligned with those of major international partners.
The individuals targeted by sanctions include ministers and deputy ministers, as well as the attorney general, who are responsible for undermining democracy and the rule of law and for serious human rights violations in the country. The four entities are either state-owned or controlled by the Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw), contributing directly or indirectly to the military’s revenues or activities.
By targeting the gems and timber sectors, these measures are aimed at restricting the junta’s ability to profit from Myanmar’s natural resources, while being crafted so as to avoid undue harm to the people of Myanmar.
Restrictive measures, which now apply to a total of 43 individuals and 6 entities, include an asset freeze and a prohibition from making funds available to the listed individuals and entities. Additionally, a travel ban applicable to listed persons prevents them from entering or transiting through EU territory.
It remains to be seen whether the revelation of Ukrainian-Tatmadaw link would be taken note by the EU and if it would have implication on the relations between Ukraine and the west.
Officially, Ukraine voted for the resolution at the UN General Assembly vote to suspend arms supplies to Myanmar. However, the continue business between Ukrainian companies and Myanmar military seemed to be continue unabated.
Ukraine currently is still reeling from the impact of the maidan revolution, the civil war with Donbass and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Any “business” would be seen as a positive for the Ukrainian government. Unless there is pressure from the west and any threat of sanctions against Ukraine for the military/parts exports to Myanmar’s military, DPA believe that this “business-relationship” between Ukraine and Myanmar’s military will continue indefinitely.