FT: US accuses South Africa of giving weapons, ammunition to Russia.

The U.S. has accused South Africa of supplying weapons and ammunition to Russia, the Financial Times reported[1] on May 11. According to FT, U.S. officials are "confident" that "weapons and ammunition were loaded onto the Lady R, a Russian vessel under sanctions that docked at Simon's Town naval dockyard near Cape Town in December." South African President Cyril Ramaphosa told lawmakers that the matter was being looked into and would be spoken about "in time."

This news is just the latest scandal involving South Africa, Russia, and the ongoing war in Ukraine.[2] On April 30, South Africa's Sunday Times reported that South African officials were trying to persuade Russian dictator Vladimir Putin not to come to South Africa for a BRICS summit in August due to the International Criminal Court's warrant[3] for his arrest. South Africa, as one of the 123 countries party to the Rome Statute, would be obliged to execute arrest warrants issued by the ICC.

On April 25, Ramaphosa's office walked back[4] on public statements he'd made considering withdrawing[5] from the ICC due to its "unfair treatment" of other countries. The office said the statement was a "communication error" that the African National Congress (ANC) made during a media briefing.

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References

1. ^ reported (www.ft.com)
2. ^ war in Ukraine. (kyivindependent.com)
3. ^ warrant (kyivindependent.com)
4. ^ walked back (kyivindependent.com)
5. ^ withdrawing (kyivindependent.com)