The Russian Federation received six elephants as a gift from the Republic of the Union of Myanmar as a sign of strengthening relations between the two states. The transfer of the animals was organized with the assistance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and the coordinating role of the “Roscongress” Foundation and the “RK-Investments” Foundation. It became possible thanks to systematic work through diplomatic channels and consistent development of bilateral contacts between countries, including within the framework of leading business platforms in Russia. In particular, the possibility of transferring elephants was previously discussed during a meeting between Advisor to the President of the Russian Federation Anton Kobyakov and Prime Minister of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Min Aung Hlaing on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in 2022. Based on its results, the RK-Investments Fund began working on this issue.
"Myanmar is a long-standing and reliable partner of Russia in Southeast Asia. The impetus for the development of bilateral relations was the meeting of the leaders of the countries at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in 2022. We are building an open dialogue not only at the official, but also at the business level. We pay great attention to the development of social and humanitarian ties, which also contribute to the development of interaction between our states. This gift in honor of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the countries is the best reflection of trusting cooperation. Now the main task is to maintain and increase the momentum gained in the work on strategic rapprochement between Russia and Myanmar,” noted Advisor to the President of the Russian Federation, Executive Secretary of the Organizing Committee for the EEF Anton Kobyakov.