Russia Warship in South Africa

CNN reports that a Russian warship carrying hypersonic missiles arrived in a port on South Africa’s east coast to participate in a 10-day naval exercise in the Indian Ocean alongside South African and Chinese warships. The timing of the exercises, close to the anniversary of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, has led to public criticism from Western diplomats and risks backlash for the government in Pretoria. However, South Africa’s historical ties with Moscow run deep, and from a realpolitik standpoint, freezing out Russia or postponing the naval exercises may not be a smart choice for South Africa’s trade relations.