— I will fully devote myself to serving the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Hlaing said, pledging during the ceremony to also “advance the eternal principles of justice, freedom and equality.”
According to the national constitution, the 69-year-old had to resign from his military duties before running for president. The politician is known for his sympathy for Vladimir Putin, whom he visited in the Kremlin in 2025.
Min Aung Hlaing is the new leader
New vice presidents Nyo Saw and Nann Nilar Aye and all ministers were sworn in with him. More than two-thirds of the new cabinet are active and retired military personnel, several of whom are under international sanctions.
The election of the general by the army-dominated parliament formally sanctions his current power. Western governments and international observers unanimously describe the recent elections as a farce intended to consolidate military rule under a new, completely civilian guise.
Since the February 2021 armed coup and the overthrow of the democratic government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, the military has brutally suppressed resistance. More than six thousand people have died in the attacks so far. The imprisoned leader herself is in an unknown location.
