Russia’s real wages in 2024 increased the most in 16 years as the country grapples with a lack of workers and even seeks to import them from so-called friendly countries, including Myanmar.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was holding talks on Tuesday with the head of Myanmar’s military government, who is seeking to cement cooperation with Moscow as he faces isolation and sanctions from the West.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is holding talks with the head of Myanmar’s military government, who is seeking to cement ties with Moscow as he faces isolation from the West

The junta plans this year to hold an election, which critics have derided as a sham to keep the generals in power through proxies. Along with China, Russia is a supporter of Myanmar's military and both powers vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution condemning alleged human rights abuses in the country.

The head of Myanmar’s military government is traveling to Russia, a major ally of the Southeast Asian nation shunned by much of the West for overthrowing a democratically elected government and subsequent brutal repression.

Russia and Myanmar signed an agreement on Tuesday on construction of a small-scale nuclear plant in Myanmar after talks in Moscow between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing.

The document was signed by the head of the Russian ministry, Maxim Reshetnikov, and Myanmar's minister for investment and foreign economic relations, Kan Zaw, during a visit of a Russian delegation to

Sanctions are, according to research, effective less than 10% of the time if success is defined as the complete compliance of a sanctioned regime with the imposed external pressure. Taking a more lenient view,

Sanctions drive nations towards building domestic industries to replace imported goods and strengthening alliances with supportive countries.

In this photo taken from video distributed by, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, third right, and Myanmar's Military leader Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, left,

Russia told Myanmar's leader and military junta chief Min Aung Hlaing on Tuesday that Moscow saw good prospects for expanding cooperation in a range of areas including agriculture and nuclear energy.