Newsweek : Russian warships docked at Bangladesh’s port of Chattogram on Sunday, Russian state-run media reported, sparking fears of growing Russian influence in South Asia.
Anti-submarine warfare ships Admiral Tributs and Admiral Panteleyev, and the tanker Pechenga, from Russia’s Pacific naval fleet, docked at the key port on the Bay of Bengal, days after Myanmar and Russia kicked off their first joint naval exercise.
Bangladesh and Russia have maintained good relations throughout Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022. Moscow is constructing the South Asian nation’s only nuclear power plant, and delivered the country’s first uranium shipment in October.
The Russian Embassy in Dhaka hailed the visit as a “huge milestone” for Russia-Bangladesh relations.
“The last time Russian/Soviet naval ships visited Bangladesh was 50 years ago,” it said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, sharing images of the occasion.
Newsweek has contacted Russia’s Defense Ministry by email for comment.
The “Jay in Kyiv” X account, linked to the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation, which raises money to buy equipment for the Ukrainian army, raised concerns about the visit.
“While the US is mired in infighting, lost in a sea of Russian disinfo, Putin continues his global takeover,” the user said. “After backing the military coup that now controls Myanmar, Russia moves on to Bangladesh where for the first time in 52 years, a flotilla of Russian warships has docked.”
Alexander Mantytskiy, the Russian ambassador to Bangladesh, was quoted by Russian state news agency Tass as saying that between April 1972 and June 1974, Soviet Navy sailors worked on a mine-clearing operation to help save Banglasdesh from a “humanitarian catastrophe” after it gained independence from Pakistan.
“After the war of independence, the port’s waters were mined and also tens of vessels were sunk there,” the ambassador said.
The visit comes days after military-run Myanmar participated in a joint-exercise with Russia in the Andaman Sea, which reportedly involved naval vessels and aircraft. The Russian anti-submarine vessels Admiral Tributs and Admiral Panteleev, which are now in Bangladesh, took part.
https://www.newsweek.com/russia-warship-asia-bangladesh-myanmar-drills-1843130
