One year has passed since Myanmar's National Unity Government (NUG) declared a "defensive war" in its armed struggle against the military junta that had staged a coup. The NUG is a government in exile formed by those who are against the military junta. The two sides remain in a state of war and there seems to be no clear path toward resolving the situation. Because of the overwhelming difficulties in reaching a solution, an intervention by the international community has been greatly hoped for. However, interest in Myanmar is waning. One of the most significant reasons is the Russia-Ukraine war.
On Feb. 1 of this year, shortly before Russia's invasion of Ukraine began, Myanmar military chief Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the head of the national armed forces, called the NUG "terrorists" in a speech marking the one-year anniversary of the coup. He also made it clear that he would not relent in his actions against the NUG and its supporters. The international community reiterated its call for an immediate end to all acts of violence, with the U.N. Security Council expressing "deep concern." The U.S. and some European countries, such as Britain, have continued economic sanctions against Myanmar.
When Russia's invasion of Ukraine started on Feb. 24, global focus turned quickly to Ukraine, along with strong criticism against Russia. As the focus of international attention shifted to condemning that war and supporting Ukraine, many in Myanmar who oppose the military junta felt isolated and feared their plight had been forgotten by the outside world. They took to social media with messages such as, "Do not forget Myanmar!" and "What is going on in Ukraine is not different from what is happening in Myanmar."
