He ambassador by United States in South AfricaReuben Brigety accused this country of supplying weapons to Russia during Moscow’s war against Ukraine, Despite the neutrality the African country He says stay in the face of conflict.

At a press conference in Pretoria, Brigety assured that South Africa was supplying weapons to Russia via the Russian ship Lady Rwhich docked at Simon’s Town naval base in Cape Town (southwest) in December last year.

“One of the things that caught our eye was the cargo ship that docked at Simon’s Town naval base between December 6 and 8, 2022, which we know for sure loaded weapons and ammunition onto that ship in Simon’s Town while it returned to Russia.” , Confirmed the ambassador, local channel News24 reports.

“Arming the Russians is extremely serious. And we do not believe that this problem has been solved. And we would like to see South Africa put its policy of non-alignment into practice.” emphasized the diplomat.

As to how accurate US intelligence information was that the African country was supplying weapons to Russia, Brigety assured that he would bet his life on the reliability of that data, the South African channel reported. The ambassador stressed that this issue was one of “worrying” issues raised by senior US officials. with a high-level South African delegation that recently visited the United States.

He said it would be “a mistake to underestimate the concerns in Washington,” according to the South African newspaper TimesLive. Brigety added that the other concerns also came from US officials South Africa’s participation in military exercises with Russia and China on the anniversary of last February’s invasion of Ukraine.

“We also express our grave concern about the timing of the joint naval exercises in which South Africa participated with Russia and China in South African waters, which coincided with the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine,” he said.

Following the release of these statements, Vincent Magwenya, spokesman for South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa, stated that the presidency “has taken note of the reported comments attributed to the US ambassador”.

And we will reply in due time” Magwenya announced on her social network account on Twitter. The African country claims to have taken a neutral stance on Russia’s war against Ukraine and has called for dialogue to resolve the conflict.

This position is linked not only to the strategic political and economic role that Moscow plays in some African countries, but also to historical reasons such as Russia’s support for anti-colonial and liberation movements of the 20th century, such as the fight against the segregationist. apartheid regime.” in the case of South Africa.