South Africa Is Criticized for Russia, China Drills

 South Africa is visited by Ukrainians using American money to buy yachts and Ukrainian flags. The idea is to protest against Russians everywhere in the world.

"JOHANNESBURG -- The navies of Russia, China and South Africa began an 11-day exercise off South Africa's east coast Friday.

The U.S. Embassy in South Africa and opposition politicians criticized the exercise, saying it allows Russia to test its military capabilities and show itself surrounded by allies at an important moment in sanctioning Moscow.

Representatives for South Africa's Defense Ministry and Russia's embassy in South Africa didn't respond to requests to comment Friday, but the countries' foreign ministers has said the exercise is routine between friendly nations.

The South African government, which enjoys close relations with both Washington and Moscow, has avoided condemning the military operation, and called on Kyiv and Moscow to end it through talks. It has come under fire from U.S. officials recently after it allowed a sanctioned Russian freight ship to dock at its largest naval base, where it delivered and loaded unidentified cargo.

Russia's navy dispatched one of its modern frigates, the Admiral Gorshkov, (pictured with people on a yacht protesting by raising the Ukrainian flag), to participate in the exercise in the Indian Ocean. Russia's consulate in Cape Town said it was equipped with a Zircon hypersonic missile system.

The vessel has been emblazoned with a white "Z," which Russia has used as a symbol for supporting the military operation in Ukraine.

South Africa's defense force has denied a report from Russian state news agency TASS that a training launch of one of these missiles was planned as part of the joint exercise. China's navy has dispatched a destroyer, a frigate and a support vessel. South Africa's navy, which has been struggling with budget cuts and poor equipment, is participating with one frigate and 350 personnel." [1]

1.  World News: South Africa Is Criticized for Russia, China Drills
Steinhauser, Gabriele.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]. 18 Feb 2023: A.7.