CAPE TOWN, South Africa — The U. S. ambassador to South Africa accused the nation Thursday of offering weapons and ammunition to Russia for its battle in Ukraine through a cargo ship linked to a sanctioned firm that docked secretly at a naval base close to the town of Cape City in December.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa stated an investigation into the go to by a Russian vessel named Girl R to his nation’s fundamental naval base was already underway behind the scenes with the assistance of U.S. intelligence providers earlier than Ambassador Reuben Brigety went public at a information convention within the South African capital, Pretoria, that the cargo was weapons and ammunition.
Brigety stated the U.S. was sure that army gear was loaded onto the Girl R on the Simon’s City naval base between Dec. 6 and Dec. 8 after which transported to Russia. He stated it introduced into query South Africa’s supposed impartial stance on the battle in Ukraine and its requires the battle to finish.
“The arming of the Russians is extraordinarily critical and we don’t think about this challenge to be resolved,” Brigety stated in feedback reported by a number of South African information retailers.
If South Africa is discovered to be giving Russia army help, it threatens to fracture the connection between america and a key companion in Africa. Regardless of South Africa’s impartial stance on the battle in Ukraine, the Biden Administration hoped it may nonetheless be a key buffer in opposition to rising Russian and Chinese language affect on the continent.
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Whereas Ramaphosa’s workplace stated in a press release later Thursday that there was at present “no proof” to help allegations that arms have been loaded onto the Girl R, The Related Press established that the vessel is tied to an organization that was sanctioned final yr by the U.S. for being concerned in transporting army gear for the Russian authorities.
The information of Brigety’s feedback broke whereas Ramaphosa was in Cape City answering questions on different issues in Parliament. When the chief of the political opposition, John Steenhuisen, requested concerning the weapons and ammunition, the president replied that “the matter is being appeared into, and in time we will discuss it.”
Ramaphosa declined to remark additional, citing the necessity for the investigation to play out.
Steenhuisen requested the president if South Africa was “actively arming Russian troopers who’re murdering and maiming harmless folks?”
Ammunition provides have turn into an issue for Russia within the battle. The chief of Russian army firm Wagner complained final week about his mercenary troopers in Ukraine allegedly coping with dire shortages.
Ramaphosa’s workplace acknowledged in its assertion that the Girl R docked in South Africa, however didn’t say when, the place or for what cause. The assertion additionally criticized the American ambassador for going public.
Information reviewed by the AP present the Girl R was bought by a Russian firm, Transmorflot LLC, in 2019. In Could 2022, the U.S. sanctioned Transmorflot and a number of other vessels it alleges are managed by the corporate, together with the Girl R, for aiding the Russian battle effort. The corporate then modified its title to MG-Flot LLC, which can be listed as the present proprietor of the Girl R.
Final month, The Wall Road Journal reported that one other ship owned by MG-Flot, the Rasul Gamzatov, transported artillery shells from Iran to Russia, citing Center Jap officers.
The AP has additionally independently confirmed that the Girl R docked on the Simon’s City naval base throughout the time-frame Brigety cited.
MarineTraffic, a service that collects radio and satellite tv for pc transponder information from ships, tracked the Girl R off the South African coast in early December, however the sign was misplaced on Dec. 5. Ships are required by worldwide regulation to maintain their transponders on whereas at sea. Smugglers usually flip them off to cover their actions.
Satellite tv for pc imagery obtained by AP exhibits a ship the identical size, coloration and structure because the Girl R docked on the naval base the next day and remained there by way of Dec. 8. AP additionally obtained photographs of the ship on the naval base, the title Girl R clearly seen on its stern in each English and Russian. The ship set sail Dec. 9 and its transponder sign popped again up on Dec. 10. It returned to the Russian port of Novorossiysk on the Black Sea on Feb. 22.
Steenhuisen’s opposition social gathering had beforehand raised questions over the looks of a “thriller” Russian vessel in Simon’s City. In late December, South African Protection Minister Thandi Modise stated the ship was dealing with an “previous order” for ammunition, and arms have been offloaded, not loaded onto the ship.
The South African authorities has acknowledged quite a few instances it’s impartial on the battle in Ukraine and needs the battle resolved peacefully by way of diplomacy however latest shows of its closeness to Russia opened Africa’s most developed nation to accusations that it has successfully taken Russia’s aspect.
South Africa hosted Russian Overseas Minister Sergey Lavrov for talks in January, giving him a platform accountable the West for the battle in Ukraine.
Weeks later, South Africa allowed warships from the Russian and Chinese language navies to carry out drills off its east coast. The Russian navy introduced its Admiral Gorshkov frigate, considered one of its navy’s flagship vessels. The South African navy took half within the drills and stated they’d “strengthen the already flourishing relations between South Africa, Russia and China.”
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South Africa additionally faces a diplomatic dilemma over a potential go to this yr by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who’s the topic of an Worldwide Felony Court docket arrest warrant for alleged battle crimes involving the abductions of youngsters from Ukraine. Putin is because of go to South Africa in August for a gathering of leaders of the BRICS financial bloc, made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
South Africa is a signatory to the worldwide courtroom primarily based in The Hague, Netherlands, and obliged to arrest Putin. The federal government indicated it will not detain the Russian chief and threatened to depart the ICC as an alternative. Ramaphosa’s workplace launched a press release final month backtracking on the risk.
—AP author Mogomotsi Magome in Johannesburg contributed to this story. AP international investigative reporter Michael Biesecker reported from Washington.
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