,
Kayin State, Myanmar, 9 February 2021 's 76th anniversary day on 27 March 2021 On 27 January 2021, Min Aung Hlaing publicly remarked that he would not rule out a
coup d'état and abolition of the
constitution, if allegations of
voter fraud during last year's election were not adequately addressed. These comments sparked concern about another potential coup. The following day, the UEC issued a statement rejecting claims of
electoral fraud, citing the lack of evidence submitted to substantiate these claims. On 29 January, the military issued clarifying statements pledging to protect and abide by the constitution and applicable laws. On 1 February 2021, Min Aung Hlaing
detained elected leaders including President
Win Myint, State Counsellor
Aung San Suu Kyi and declared himself as
Commander-in-chief of Myanmar, one day before democratically elected members of parliament were scheduled to be sworn in as members of the
Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (Assembly of the Union). The following day, he established the
State Administration Council (SAC) as the country's interim ruling body. On 22 May 2021, Min Aung Hlaing gave his first interview since the coup to Hong Kong-based Chinese language
Phoenix Television. During the interview, he referred to deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi and he said that she "is in good health. She is at her home and healthy. She is going to face trial at the court in a few days." On the same day,
Myanmar Now reported that shortly after the coup, Min Aung Hlaing appointed himself indefinitely as the commander-in-chief and therefore the
de facto leader of
Myanmar. Six months after the coup, on 1 August 2021, Min Aung Hlaing formed a
caretaker government and established himself as the country's
prime minister. He also remains the chairman of the SAC.
Myanmar civil war With the outbreak of
mass protests against his rule, Min Aung Hlaing ordered a clampdown and suppression of demonstrations, sparking an
ongoing civil war. Min Aung Hlaing's forces have employed
scorched earth tactics in the
civil war, including
airstrikes on civilians. He has ordered the execution of prominent pro-democracy activists, the first use of the death penalty in decades. After four
pro-democracy activists were executed on 24 July 2022, the chairman of the
ASEAN,
Hun Sen, UN representatives, and
Western leaders condemned the executions. In foreign policy, he has resisted influence from
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and relied on greater cooperation with
Russia,
China, and
India. On 7 September 2022, Min Aung Hlaing met with
Russian president Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the
Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), in
Vladivostok,
Russia, the first time that the pair have met since the
2021 coup. In response to his human rights abuses and corruption, Min Aung Hlaing and his government have been subjected to an extensive series of international sanctions, returning Myanmar to its former status as a
pariah state. The Economist Intelligence Unit's 2022
Democracy Index rated Myanmar under Min Aung Hlaing as the second-most authoritarian regime in the world, with only
Afghanistan rated less democratic. are highlighted in .
Acting Presidency (2023–2026) In January 2023, Min Aung Hlaing enacted a new
electoral law aimed at rigging the
next general election in favor of the
USDP. He is himself considered a likely USDP nominee for president in the subsequent presidential election. Min Aung Hlaing refused to give up his
emergency powers when they were constitutionally set to expire on 1 February 2023, further delaying new elections. In March 2023, Min Aung Hlaing made a rare public appearance at the
Armed Forces Day parade stating that his government would continue to fight back against
resistance groups in the country and their "acts of terror". Hlaing called his critics supporters of
terrorism. , 4 March 2025 Starting in January 2024, multiple pro-military figures condemned Min Aung Hlaing for incompetence and excessive self-interest after the
Tatmadaw suffered an unprecedented string of defeats during
Operation 1027. In February 2024, to address the
Tatmadaw's personnel issues, Min Aung Hlaing activated Myanmar's 1959
People's Military Service Law for the first time, with plans to draft 60,000 young men and women. Men aged 18–35 and women aged 18–27 will be required to serve up to five years under the
state of emergency, or face five years imprisonment. In March 2024, Min Aung Hlaing claimed at the Armed Forces Day parade young people are being tricked into supporting the resistance against the military, and accused "some powerful nations" of trying to interfere with Myanmar's internal affairs. On 13 April 2023, Min Aung Hlaing was featured on
Time magazine's list of the "100 Most Influential People of 2023". While attending the
Defence Services Academy during
Thingyan, the traditional New Year Water Festival on the evening of 14 April 2024, Min Aung Hlaing escaped a rocket attack by the
Mandalay People's Defence Force (MDY-PDF). According to SAC media, resistance groups in Yangon attempted to assassinate Min Aung Hlaing with explosives and firearms in June 2024. On 22 July 2024 Min Aung Hlaing became acting president after
Myint Swe took medical leave. Min Aung Hlaing ordered the arrest of
Nay Soe Maung, the son-in-law of Senior General
Than Shwe, on 23 October 2024 in Pyigyitagun Township,
Mandalay. This arrest occurred during the ongoing challenges to his rule following the coup. The groundwork for such actions against opposition figures was laid by Than Shwe, whose enduring influence over the military had previously established its stronghold in Myanmar's political landscape. , 3 April 2025 In January 2025,
ASEAN upheld its decision to ban Min Aung Hlaing from attending its summits and limit Myanmar's participation to a non-political level. On 31 January 2025, Myanmar's ruling military extended the state of emergency for another six months, with the decision approved unanimously by the
National Defense and Security Council (NDSC) under Section 425 of the 2008 Constitution. Min Aung Hlaing, as chairman of the council, stated that maintaining stability remained necessary before elections could be held. The state of emergency, first declared following the February 2021 military takeover, has been extended multiple times. Under Myanmar's constitutional framework, elections cannot be conducted while a state of emergency is in place. The military has previously announced plans to hold elections in 2025, though the latest extension means they cannot take place until at least the second half of the year. During this visit, they oversaw the signing of ten memorandums of understanding covering sectors such as nuclear energy, space exploration, trade, education, and investment. An agreement was also reached to build a small-scale nuclear power plant in Myanmar, starting with a capacity of 110 megawatts and potential expansion. Additionally, a memorandum on space exploration and satellite technology led to reports of a satellite imagery analysis center being established in Myanmar with Russian support. Min Aung Hlaing expressed gratitude for Russia's support in international forums and reiterated Myanmar's backing for
Russia's actions in Ukraine. Putin also invited him to attend the
Victory Day celebrations in
Moscow on 9 May 2025. During a meeting with Russian president
Vladimir Putin at the
Kremlin on March 4, 2025, Min Aung Hlaing claimed that
the Buddha had prophesied Putin's rise to power. According to Min Aung Hlaing, the prophecy foretold that a figure, referred to as the "rat king," would emerge as the emperor of the Russian people after the year 2000 of the
Buddhist calendar and become a key ally to the kings of
Burma. He recounted the story behind the prophecy: Min Aung Hlaing then connected the prophecy to contemporary geopolitics, stating that the current strategic alliance between
Russia and
Myanmar, and that Russia has achieved a world-leading position in weapons and technology. Therefore, the Buddha's prophecy had come true "in a remarkably coincidental and wonderful way". He also presented President Putin with a copy of the book ''U Aung Zeya's Biography'', written in 1838 by the Pali scholar U Saw, which contains references to the Rat King. summit in Bangkok, Thailand, 4 April 2025 On 27 March 2025, during the 80th anniversary of
Myanmar Armed Forces Day, Min Aung Hlaing said that a general election would be held by the end of the year, pledging that the military would hand over power to the winning party in a structured and lawful manner. Following the
2025 Myanmar earthquake on 28 March, Min Aung Hlaing made a rare invitation for other countries and international organizations to provide relief to Myanmar. On 3 April, he visited Thailand to attend the
BIMSTEC summit in
Bangkok. On 20 March 2026, Min Aung Hlaing underwent surgery at the No. 2 Military Hospital in Naypyidaw due to lumbar spondylosis with spinal stenosis. He publicly appeared during a 24 March meeting where he urged
Thingyan festivals to continue despite fuel shortages. == Presidency (2026–present) ==