Myanmar signs deal to import Russian LNG and receive space technology

In August 2026, Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin, resulting in 12 signed agreements on energy and technology cooperation. Russia will supply liquefied natural gas to Myanmar, augmenting imports that resumed in late 2025 after a four-year pause, and the gas will primarily fuel the Thanlyin and Thaketa power stations. Concurrently, Russian space agency Roscosmos will deliver satellite navigation, communications, Earth-observation capabilities, and astronaut training, including an opto-electronic telescope station and a low-orbit communications network called Rassvet.

The arrangements also contemplate forwarding Russian LNG to China and Thailand, potentially turning Myanmar into a regional distribution hub. Myanmar’s Ministry of Electricity and Energy seeks long-term, secure, and competitively priced supplies, while Russia aims to open a new market for its energy exports amid Western sanctions. The agreements were discussed alongside earlier talks between Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev and Myanmar Energy Minister Ko Ko Lwin on broader petroleum cooperation.