Provisional President-led Space Agency Appoints Russian-Returned Military Technicians, Prepares for Military Reconnaissance Using Satellite Technology from China, Russia, and Belarus

It has been learned that 19 military officers, including lieutenant colonels, have been appointed to the Myanmar Space Agency, which was established with the aim of utilizing satellite technology from countries such as China, Russia, and Belarus, which support the military coup, for military surveillance and reconnaissance. It is said that this appointment was approved at a meeting of the coup-backed provisional government held on May 26, and it is for serving in vacant positions and major offices/departments. This has been released in recent days through the official gazette. According to the provisional government's announcement, its subordinate Ministry of Defence began appointing 19 military officers, including lieutenant colonels, from June 3. These individuals are Russian-returned military technicians, and this fact has only now been revealed. They are graduates of the Defence Services Academy (DSA) and the Defence Services Technological Academy (DSTA), and were sent to Russia for advanced studies in specialized technical fields such as engineering, aviation, nuclear, and cybersecurity, and they also hold Master's degrees. "It is known that they are a group from DSA and DSTA who have obtained Master's degrees in Russia. For this reason, they were sent to Russia for space-related technology from the beginning," said veteran CDM Major Zin Yaw, a military affairs observer, to the Irrawaddy Times. Among the 19 Russian-returned individuals, Lieutenant Colonel Myo Thun Hlaing has been appointed as Deputy Director General (Professor) of the Space Science and Technology Bureau, and Lieutenant Colonel Ba Win Aye has been appointed as Deputy Director General (Professor) of the Administration, Planning, and Strategy Bureau. Furthermore, four lieutenant colonels have been appointed as Directors (Department Heads) in major departments including the Policy and Strategic Planning Department, the Strategic Planning Department, the Administration, Planning, and Strategy Bureau, and the Office of the Chief Executive Officer. Similarly, nine majors and four captains have been appointed and assigned as Deputy Directors General (Associate Professor) (Division Heads) and Assistant Directors in the remaining vacant major departments, including the Office of the Chief Executive Officer. It is known that all of them are controlled by the confidants of the provisional president. The Myanmar Space Agency, established in June 2025 after the military coup, is directly commanded by the military leader-turned-provisional president Min Aung Hlaing, and his confidant Dr. Soe Myint Maung has been given the position of Chief Executive Officer, equivalent to that of a Union Minister. Dr. Soe Myint Maung, the Chief Executive Officer of the Myanmar Space Agency, who reports directly to the provisional president, has visited Russia, China, and Belarus as an official representative for advanced space and military technology and has signed agreements. These agreements include matters related to satellite technology, the signing of which took place during recent trips to China, Russia, and Belarus with the provisional president, as well as the construction of a satellite navigation system measurement station and observation spacecraft. The satellite navigation system measurement station to be built in Myanmar will be a ground station that collects data from Russia's state-owned dual-use military and civilian GLONASS satellite navigation system. It is known that the military junta is preparing to utilize Chinese and Belarusian satellite technology for military purposes as well. Photo – Military Junta