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South Africa suspected of selling weapons to Russia

South Africa suspected of selling weapons to Russia

Africa Fleet Russia vessel War with Russia World

South African MPs are suspicious of the country’s authorities to be selling weapons to Russia.

The Russian Lady R vessel, which according to the U.S. previously carried weapons for Russia, was spotted in a South African port this week.

It is noted that the Lady R container ship docked at the port of Simonstown near Cape Town on December 6.

Three days after that, according to eyewitnesses, an unknown cargo was placed on the ship.

At the same time, the work was carried out mainly at night, while armed people guarded the area around the vessel.

Російське судно «Леди Р» у порту Південної Африки. Грудень 2022. ПАР. Фото: Supplied

While Lady R was at Simonstown, she had the Automatic Identification System (AIS), which transmits the ship’s coordinates, disabled.

On December 9, the container ship went to sea. And it was only after that when the team turned on AIS.

According to Marine Traffic service, the ship is sailing from Cameroon to Istanbul. The ship should be at its destination on January 15.

South African Member of Parliament for the opposition Democratic Alliance Kobus Mare has made a written request to the country’s Minister of Defense, Thandi Modisi.

The parliamentarian demands to explain what the ship under sanctions was doing in the port of South Africa, and why its load was in secrecy.

Російське судно «Леди Р» у порту Південної Африки. Грудень 2022. ПАР. Фото: Supplied

According to Mare, it is “obvious” that Armscor, the weapons procurement agency of the South African Ministry of Defense, is connected to the situation. It was Armscor that contracted the drivers who carried the cargo.

The South African Ministry of Defense has not commented on the appearance of a Russian vessel in the country’s port. The National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC), which local arms suppliers approach for permissions, says it has no information about arms sales to Russia.

Africa Fleet Russia vessel War with Russia World