Russia Claims West Plotting to Isolate China from Indian Ocean

(MENAFN) Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoygu issued stark warnings Tuesday, alleging Western powers are orchestrating a strategy to isolate China from the Indian Ocean through Myanmar.

Speaking to Russian state outlet Tass, Shoygu emphasized Myanmar's geographic significance as the most direct corridor linking China to Europe.

"It should be understood that Western politicians view Myanmar in the context of their broader strategy to contain China, as well as attempts to cut off Beijing's access to the Indian Ocean and deprive it of access to Myanmar's rich resources," he said.

Shoygu warned that American naval dominance over Myanmar could enable Washington to shut down alternative shipping lanes bypassing the Malacca Strait—a critical concern should tensions erupt over Taiwan or the South China Sea.

This geopolitical calculus, he contended, drives Western nations to pursue regime change in Myanmar while deploying military advisors on the ground.

"Behind the loud slogans about protecting the interests of ordinary people are the cynical plans of Westerners to replace the leadership of Myanmar with so-called democratic leaders loyal to them," he said.

The Russian official alleged Western powers funnel resources and weaponry to opposition forces, position military trainers inside the country, and construct logistical networks along frontier zones to undermine Myanmar's stability and manipulate its electoral processes.

Shoygu lauded Myanmar's recent parliamentary voting as "open and transparent," asserting authorities "demonstrated their commitment to constitutional principles."

He highlighted participation from 57 political movements, with international monitors dispatched by Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, China, India, Nicaragua, and three ASEAN members—Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand.

Over 5,000 candidates representing 57 parties competed, including six with nationwide campaigns while others focused on regional contests, Shoygu noted.

He characterized the outcome as validation of Myanmar's political trajectory.

The Myanmar junta conducted its inaugural elections since toppling the democratically chosen administration headed by Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) through a 2021 military seizure of power, triggering over four years of emergency governance.

Casualties have mounted into the thousands since the military regime dissolved dozens of political organizations, including the NLD, before authorizing fresh parties for three-stage voting spanning December through January.

Ongoing ethnic warfare prevented ballot access across numerous territories in the Southeast Asian nation.

Beyond ground realities, Shoygu charged Western capitals with launching a propaganda offensive against Myanmar, working from the beginning to paint the elections internationally as "unfair and non-inclusive."

Simultaneously, he argued, these same governments "did not even think to condemn the sabotage of terrorist groups trying to disrupt the electoral process."

Shoygu committed Moscow's backing for Myanmar against foreign interference and accused the West of persistent attempts to fracture ASEAN's established cooperation and security framework.

He further revealed ongoing discussions between Russia and Myanmar encompassing energy security collaboration, workforce development, military and military-technical ties, as well as cybersecurity and information security.

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