BANGKOK, February 10. /TASS/. The Russian embassy in Myanmar has in the past two years assisted in the repatriation of 18 Russian nationals involved in the activities of online scam centers, Moscow’s Ambassador to the Southeast Asian nation Iskander Azizov said.

"The Russian embassy in Myanmar, acting together with Myanmar’s Foreign Ministry and law enforcement agencies, assisted in finding and returning nine Russian citizens in 2024, and another eight in 2025. One Russian female national was assisted in crossing the border from Myanmar into Thailand in early February this year," the envoy specified.

The Russian diplomat noted that Myanmar’s authorities "have declared the fight against online scam and other illegal activities a national priority and are now working to increase efforts to curb the operation of cybercrime centers." "In 2025, Myanmar officials held a series of talks with China and Thailand, which resulted in Thailand stopping cross-border power supplies to the cities of Shwe Kokko and Lay Kay Kaw in Myanmar. The measures, taken in partnership with the neighboring countries at a bilateral and trilateral level, put an end to the operation of those centers," the Russian ambassador pointed out.

According to Azizov, earlier, Myanmar’s Armed Forces carried out raids in the state of Karen together with the BGF/KNA Karen militias in order to identify scam centers, which were destroyed later. "According to official data from Myanmar’s Foreign Ministry, as many as 1,194 people were freed in an operation to release foreign nationals from the KK Park scam call center in the Karen territory bordering Thailand. There were no Russians among them," the envoy concluded.