Enlarge image
Port of Durban (archive image): maneuver is imminent
Photo: OCEAN INFINITY/ EPA-EFE/ REX/ Shutterstock
In the past, South Africa has been neutral when it came to the Ukraine war.
But the ruling party is getting closer to Russia, which is also shown by an upcoming military exercise.
South Africa is planning a joint maneuver with the Russian and Chinese navies.
The drills, dubbed Operation Mosi, which means "smoke" in the local Tswana language, are scheduled to take place Feb. 17-27 off the southeastern port city of Durban, the military said.
The naval exercises coincide with the one-year anniversary of the start of Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine.
They will "strengthen the already thriving relationship between South Africa, Russia and China," according to the army.
South Africa's opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), has sharply criticized the planned exercises.
The ruling African National Congress (ANC) is thus de facto siding with Moscow, said DA Shadow Defense Minister Kobus Marais.
Lavrov travels to Pretoria
South Africa, which belongs to the Brics group of emerging economies along with Russia, China, India and Brazil, has so far taken a neutral stance on the war in Ukraine.
South Africa abstained in a United Nations vote condemning the war last year.
On Monday, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is expected for bilateral talks in the South African capital Pretoria.
It is Lavrov's first visit to the country at the southern tip of Africa since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Russia is trying to expand its influence in Africa.
Since 2014, Moscow has signed military cooperation agreements with at least 20 African countries and deployed its mercenaries from Mali to Mozambique, Sudan and Libya.
When the UN General Assembly voted to condemn Russia's war of aggression, many African countries refrained from a clear rejection.
ptz/dpa
