[imagesource: YouTube / Forces News]

Since February 17, the navies of China, and Russia, along with our own forces, have taken part in military training in what is formally known as Exercise Mosi II off the KwaZulu-Natal coast.

Earlier this month, Russian news agency TASS reported that the Russian forces would fire their hypersonic missile during the drills, essentially helping Russian President Vladimir Putin show off a weapon that can “dramatically change the balance of power in maritime battles and atomic warfare”.

Gross. Has Vladi read the study showing how men do indeed overcompensate for a lack by investing in massive machines?

Anyway, the Russian warship Admiral Gorshkov was set to launch the Zircon missile, which is able to achieve speeds exceeding 9 000 kilometres per hour, essentially allowing them to bypass traditional naval defence systems.

Putin labelled these weapons of mass destruction “unstoppable,” as they are capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

Thankfully, though, on Wednesday, a Russian commander ruled out the launch of this hypersonic missile, reported DW:

“The hypersonic weapon will not be used in the context of these exercises,” Russian naval officer Oleg Gladkiy told journalists during a press conference in South Africa. “There is no hidden meaning in the exercises we are performing today.”

This “propaganda coup for Russia” as the event was dubbed, occurring during the first anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine by the way, is due to continue until this coming Monday, February 27.

Unfortunately, our country’s government has so far refused to issue a proper condemnation of Russia’s war against Ukraine, with South African Lieutenant-General Siphiwe Sangweni saying that “cooperation and coordination with all other militaries are very important to us”.

Besides South Africa basically joining Russia’s side, Brazil is also involved as an observer in the drills:

Brazilian President Lula Inacio Lula da Silva has previously said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is equally responsible for Russia’s invasion.

SA has also allowed China and Russia to further deepen their ties:

Putin said Wednesday that Sino-Russian relations have reached “new frontiers,” while adding that Chinese President Xi Jinping would soon visit Moscow.

It says a lot about who is involved with who in this ongoing war, and it is sad to see that South Africa has very much joined the wrong side.

At least that potentially devastating weapon won’t see the light of KZN’s day.

[source:dw]