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South Africa Begins Controversial Naval Exercises With Russia and China

by Eric Olander
A general view of Russian military frigate 'Admiral Gorshkov' docked in the harbour of Cape Town on February 13, 2023 ahead of 10-day joint maritime drills being staged alongside South Africa and China. AFP

The South African navy kicked off ten days of drills in the Indian Ocean on Friday with visiting warships from Russia and China.

The naval exercises, known as Operation Mosi II, have sparked considerable outrage among civil society groups and opposition politicians in South Africa, along with the ire of U.S. and European governments who have criticized Pretoria for hosting the Russians during the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine.

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