Myanmar used Russian-made plane in civilian assaults: Report | Weapons Information

Myanmar Witness says open-source investigation reveals Yak-130 being geared up with rockets and cannons.

The Myanmar army has been accused of utilizing Russian-made Yak-130 plane with floor assault functionality in opposition to civilians, because it seeks to stamp out opposition to its rule.

Myanmar Witness, a London-based group that collects proof of rights abuses in Myanmar, says it was in a position to confirm open-source investigations on a number of events through which unguided rockets and 23mm cannons had been utilized in built-up areas.

“Myanmar Witness has verified the repeated deployment of the Yak-130 – a complicated, Russian manufactured, two-seat jet coach with a documented floor assault functionality – in Myanmar,” Myanmar Witness mentioned in its report, which was launched on Friday. “Throughout this investigation, credible stories and geolocation have revealed the usage of the Yak-130 inside populated, civilian areas.”

Among the many newer incidents, video shared on Fb final month confirmed at the very least one Yak-130 performing two passes and launching a number of salvos of unguided rockets in direction of the bottom. A second video confirmed at the very least one Yak-130 performing at the very least 5 passes and firing about 18 salvos of unguided rockets.

The assaults had been mentioned to have taken place south of Myawaddy township in southeastern Karen state, the place ethnic armed teams have lengthy been preventing for autonomy and have been offering coaching and help to civilian militias established to combat again in opposition to the February 2021 coup.

Myanmar Witness geolocated the 2 movies and mentioned they had been filmed simply 200 metres from the Thailand-Myanmar border.

It additionally verified an incident in February 2022, when at the very least one Yak-130 was recognized participating in an operation west of Loikaw, in Kayah state, additionally on the Thai border within the east.

“The indiscriminate employment of refined assault plane, notably when employed in coordination with different army plane, is in stark distinction to the means and strategies employed by these teams who’re considered as insurgents by the Myanmar army,” the report mentioned.

Myanmar was plunged into disaster in February 2021 when military chief Senior Common Min Aung Hlaing seized energy from the elected authorities of Aung San Suu Kyi. The coup prompted mass protests and an outpouring of anger to which the army has responded with drive. Greater than 2,000 folks have been killed within the crackdown, whereas almost 700,000 have been pressured to flee their houses, in line with the United Nations.

Russia is a vital provider of weapons and gear to the Myanmar army and Min Aung Hlaing was in Moscow earlier this month in pursuit of additional offers.

Russia delivered 12 plane to Myanmar between 2015 and 2019, when it was beneath a civilian administration, however in December final yr six extra jets had been unveiled on the Meiktila air drive base, Myanmar Witness mentioned.

In March, the USA, Canada and the UK blacklisted senior army officers, together with the newly appointed chief of the air drive, over the army’s escalating violence. The sanctions additionally focused these sourcing and supplying weapons to the air drive.

Rights teams have been urgent the worldwide neighborhood to widen sanctions and impose an embargo on gross sales of jet gas to Myanmar due to the army’s repeated air assaults on civilian populations.

Myanmar has to import all its aviation gas whether or not for civilian or army functions.