A Russian warship arrived off South Africa’s main naval base in Simonstown, Cape Town, on Friday as the country prepares to host joint military exercises with China and Iran.
The drills, which begin on Saturday, are expected to put further strain on Pretoria’s already delicate relationship with Washington.
The arrival of the Russian corvette follows the entry of a Chinese destroyer, a replenishment ship, and an Iranian forward base vessel earlier in the week.
These ships will form part of the week-long “Will for Peace 2026” naval exercise, led by China and involving several members of the expanded BRICS group.
The US administration has previously criticised the bloc, with President Donald Trump branding it “anti-American”.
AFP journalists stationed near the naval base observed the Russian vessel sailing into False Bay.
The South African Navy said it would provide full details of the participating fleets later on Friday.
Deputy Defence Minister Bantu Holomisa added that the United Arab Emirates was expected to contribute ships, while Indonesia, Ethiopia and Brazil would attend as observers. Other BRICS members include India, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
According to the South African National Defence Force, the exercises are designed to strengthen cooperation, promote the exchange of best practices, and enhance joint operational capability.
Officials argue that such coordination supports maritime security, safeguards shipping routes and contributes to regional stability.
The drills come during a period of heightened international tension. Washington this week seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker it accused of being part of a shadow fleet transporting sanctioned oil for countries such as Venezuela, Russia and Iran.
The US has also issued warnings to Iran amid growing protests over rising living costs.
Holomisa noted that the naval exercise had been arranged well before the latest global disputes, urging against interpreting South Africa’s participation as a sign of hostility towards the United States.
The event was originally scheduled for November 2025 but was postponed due to a clash with the G20 summit in Johannesburg.
The US boycotted that summit as relations between Washington and Pretoria deteriorated, fuelled by disagreements over South Africa’s engagements with Russia and Iran.
Analysts suggest the upcoming exercise could deepen the rift. Priyal Singh, senior researcher at the Institute for Security Studies, said policymakers in Washington are likely to view South Africa’s involvement as further justification for reassessing bilateral ties.
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