As the US, India and China are engaged in a competition over Sri Lanka’s energy, Russia has reiterated its interest in a nuclear power plant in Sri Lanka. The Russian ambassador to Sri Lanka recently stated that he hopes to discuss the nuclear power plant proposal with the Minister of Power in the future. Russia brought this proposal during Ranil’s government. Russia may have thought that it would be easier to move forward with a leftist JVP government than with the pro-American Ranil’s government. However, Anura Kumara declined the first invitation from the Russian President to attend the BRICS summit in Russia, proving their opinion on Anura’s government wrong.
The relationship between Russia and the JVP dates back to the time of the JVP leader. In 1960, Wijeweera applied for a scholarship to study medicine at the Patrice Lumumba Peoples’ Friendship University in Moscow, the capital of the Soviet Union, with the help of a Communist Party leader. In 1963, he fell ill and was hospitalized.The Moscow hospital advised him that his health was not good for his educational activities and that he should rest. However, some left parties alleged that he tried to rebel against Soviet ideology in Russia, which prompted the Soviet government to deport him.
Wijeweera, who returned to Sri Lanka, developed animosity towards Soviet communism. He began to promote the Chinese Communist ideology in Sri Lanka.
Wijeweera’s hatred of Soviet communism may have been due to the close relationship the Soviet Union had with the leftist parties in Sri Lanka. The Soviet Union also supported the leftist government led by Mrs Bandaranaike during the 1971 JVP rebellion. The Soviet Union also funded them in the elections.
It is not known whether the JVP is suspicious of Russia because of the relationship of JVP leader Wijeweera. The main enemy of Wijeweera and the JVP was the leftist party in Sri Lanka that received support from the Soviet Union. For this reason, the JVP is not as close to Russia as it is to China. The JVP government may think that it is better to avoid Russia than to anger America by becoming friends with it.
