Russian embassy hits back over arms ship allegations
The Russian embassy in South Africa has hit back over claims made by American Ambassador Reuben Brigety over allegations that weapons were loaded onto a Russian ship in December 2022.
This follows the public comments made by the US Ambassador to South Africa, Reuben Brigety, last week.
Bridgety told the media in Pretoria that he stood by evidence that weapons were loaded onto the Russian ship, Lady R, at the Simonstown Naval Base in Cape Town.
In its statement, the Russian embassy says Brigety's claims came as no surprise as the United State seems to have "lost its ability to interact with partners on an equal basis long ago", adding it could not punish South Africa for being non-aligned.
“Friends and partners note with concern that a campaign to pressure South Africa, obviously coordinated with Western mainstream media, is increasingly gaining momentum.
“The reason for that is the country’s non-aligned position with regard to the Ukraine conflict, which proves unsatisfactory for the United States. Yet ‘the world hegemon’ cannot punish South Africa for being ‘non-aligned," reads the statement.
The Russian embassy adds that Bridgety should explain why Russia would need arms and ammunition that are not currently in service with the Russian armed forces.
“If Ambassador Brigety takes this matter seriously then why doesn’t he explain why Russia would need SA-produced arms and ammunition matching neither the types nor the calibers of the systems currently in service with Russia’s armed forces and how such a minuscule amount of 'arms and ammunition' that was allegedly 'uploaded onto the vessel' would influence the situation on the battlefield anyway?”
READ FULL STATEMENT BELOW:
Comment by the Embassy of Russia in South Africa on the remarks by the Ambassador of the US to South Africa R.Brigety - Press Releases of the Embassy
US Ambassador Reuben E Brigety accused South Africa of sending weapons to Russia having provided, according to media reports, no evidence to support his allegations except that he would “bet his life on the accuracy of the assertion.”
Appointing guilty parties at own discretion and resorting to ‘megaphone diplomacy’ have become typical characteristics of US foreign policy. In this context, the words of the US’ official cannot be perceived otherwise than as an attempt to sway the independent sovereign state’s foreign policy. This comes as no surprise, as the US seems to have lost its ability to interact with partners on equal basis long ago. One’s friendship with the US is only possible under US rules.
Friends and partners note with concern that a campaign to pressure South Africa, obviously coordinated with Western mainstream media, is increasingly gaining momentum. The reason for that is the country’s non-aligned position with regard to the Ukraine conflict, which proves unsatisfactory for the United States. Yet ‘the world hegemon’ cannot punish South Africa for being ‘non-aligned.’
Docking of Lady R in Simonstown is being used as a pretext – totally fabricated and as false as the notorious tube presented by US’ State Secretary Colin Powell at the United Nations Security Council, which was followed by a full-scale invasion of Iraq and cost the lives of 1 million Iraqis (we hope it won’t come to that now).
If Ambassador Brigety takes this matter seriously then why doesn’t he explain why Russia would need SA-produced arms and ammunition matching neither the types nor the calibers of the systems currently in service with Russia’s armed forces and how such a minuscule amount of “arms and ammunition” that was allegedly “uploaded onto the vessel” would influence the situation on the battlefield anyway?
But what is more important – why does the US diplomat feel perfectly well about the fact that his country and its satellites have been delivering weapons to Ukraine since as long ago as 2014? The total amount of Western military supplies to Kiev regime exceeded $100 billion by 2023 and a new batch for $ 1.2 billion was approved by Washington the other day. Why doesn’t Ambassador Brigety say a word about these arms being used to attack cities in Donbass, as well as Bryansk and Belgorod regions of Russia daily? Why doesn’t he express concerns about these weapons ending up in the hands of terrorists in Europe and all around the world? There’s absolutely no contradiction here for US authorities, heavily dominated by double standards and hypocrisy.
