Why South Africa navy dey join exercises wit Russia and China?

South Africa dey do one joint military exercise wit Russia and China, and opposition figures say e dey equal to endorsement of Russia invasion of Ukraine.

United States don also criticise di 10-day naval drills, wey go continue during di first anniversary of di war for Ukraine.

But South Africa goment say dem remain neutral regarding di conflict, and say dem dey also usually hosts similar drills wit oda kontris, including France and di US.

Wetin South Africa, Russia and China dey do?

Di naval exercises, wey dem call Mosi, meaning "smoke" for Tswana language, dey occur for di Indian Ocean, off South Africa coast.

Di South African National Defence Force (SANDF) say 350 members of im armed forces go participate.

Russia don announce say e go send im Admiral Gorshkov warship, wey dey carry Zircon hypersonic missiles.

Dis missiles dey fly nine times di speed of sound and get range of 1,000 km.

Moscow "go try show say even wit di war for Ukraine, im armed forces still dey very powerful", Denys Reva from South Africa Institute for Security Studies, tok.

SANDF neva tok much about di coming exercise, but one 2019 joint drill between di three kontris bin involve seven ships - one warship from each nation, plus fuelling ships and survey ships.

Dem practice tackling coastal fires and floods, and recapturing ships from pirates.

Why dis exercise dey controversial?

One White House tok tok pesin, for January say: "Di United States get concerns about any kontri... wey dey exercise wit Russia as Russia dey fight brutal war against Ukraine."

Before, South Africa bin abstain from one UN vote wey condemn di invasion. Dem also refuse to join di US and EU to impose sanctions on Russia.

South Africa goment make politicians para wen dem give permission for one superyacht wey dem call di Nord, wey get connection to one sanctioned Russian oligarch Alexey Mordashov, to dock for Cape Town - although e be like di ship no actually go dia.

Dem bin also allow di sanctioned Russian cargo ship, Lady R, to unload supplies for one South Africa naval base.

Di goment say e bin contain one delayed order for ammunition.

South Africa point out say dem don do four joint exercises wit US since 2011, as well as drills wit France and Germany.

"All kontris dey conduct military exercises with friends all over di world," Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor tok during one visit to her kontri by her Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov for January.

She tok say trying to stop South Africa from conducting joint military exercises wit kontris wey dem want to, dey equivalent to "abuse of international practice".

Why South Africa dey participate?

South Africa dey also take part sake of say dia armed forces dey underfunded and overstretched, according to Elizabeth Sidiropoulos, head of South African Institute of International Affairs.

Di priorities of di navy na to protect di fish for dia home waters and combat piracy for di Indian Ocean.

"Dem need to team up wit oda kontris so dem go fit get di capacity to deal wit tins wey dey happun off dia coast like piracy," she say.

South Africa ruling African National Congress (ANC) also get long-standing relationship wit Russia.

Dis relationship go way back to di years of white-minority rule before 1994, Dr Alex Vines from the Chatham House think-tank for London tok.

"Di older leaders for di ANC still get emotional attachment to Moscow, becos dem bin constantly support dia struggle," im tok. "Dis make am very difficult for South Africa to turn dia back on Russia over Ukraine."

Russia, China and South Africa also get modern-day ties sake of say all of dem na members of di Brics alliance.

Di group - wey also include Brazil and India - represent some of di world leading emerging economies.

Wetin Russia and China want?

Madam Sidiropoulos say Russia get more to gain dan anyone from dis year exercise.

"E show say Russia fit still project dia power far away, and say dem still get partners around di world.

"E go let dem say no be di world dey against Russia. Only di West dey against Russia."

China get strong interest to keep shipping lanes open for commercial vessels wey dey travel from im ports go African destinations, Dr Vines tok.

E also want to establish im navy power for di Indian Ocean, off di Africa coast.

"Na about getting dia navy out into international waters.

"China dey already use Djibouti for East African coast as naval base to fight pirates, and maybe e dey hope to get more bases."