In it, the embassy accused the US of trying to sway South Africa's neutral stance in the Ukraine war through Brigety's comments.
“Appointing guilty parties at [their] 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.”
The Russian embassy said one’s friendship with the US was only possible under US rules.
“Friends and partners note with concern that a campaign to pressure South Africa, obviously co-ordinated 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 US. Yet ‘the world hegemon’ cannot punish South Africa for being ‘non-aligned'.”
The embassy asked why Brigety, if he took the matter seriously, did not question why Russia would need South African-produced arms and ammunition matching neither the types nor the calibres of the systems in service with Russia’s armed forces. It asked how such a minuscule amount of “arms and ammunition” that was allegedly “uploaded onto the vessel” could influence the situation on the battlefield.
“But what is more important — why does the US diplomat feel perfectly [comfortable] 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 Kyiv regime exceeded $100bn by 2023 and a new batch for $1.2bn was approved by Washington the other day.
“Why doesn’t Ambassador Brigety say a word about these arms being used to attack cities in Donbas, as well as Bryansk and Belgorod regions of Russia daily?”
TimesLIVE
Russian embassy in SA hits back at US ambassador’s Lady R allegations
Image: Facebook
The Russian embassy has hit back at the US ambassador to South Africa's controversial claims on the docking of a Russian ship in Simon's Town last year, calling out the US for “its continued double standards and hypocrisy”.
US ambassador Reuben Brigety caused a furore last week when he told reporters a Russian ship that had docked at Simon's Town naval base in December had left South Africa loaded with weapons.
There was controversy when the vessel docked, with Pretoria silent on its activities while in South African waters.
Brigety's comments sparked a local outcry, with questions being raised about the manner he chose to raise these concerns. The department of international relations and cooperation (Dirco) said Brigety apologised for “crossing the line” in the manner in which he raised the matter.
The Russian embassy in South Africa also weighed in, in a lengthy statement on Tuesday.
US ambassador to SA has ‘apologised unreservedly’: Dirco after démarche
In it, the embassy accused the US of trying to sway South Africa's neutral stance in the Ukraine war through Brigety's comments.
“Appointing guilty parties at [their] 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.”
The Russian embassy said one’s friendship with the US was only possible under US rules.
“Friends and partners note with concern that a campaign to pressure South Africa, obviously co-ordinated 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 US. Yet ‘the world hegemon’ cannot punish South Africa for being ‘non-aligned'.”
The embassy asked why Brigety, if he took the matter seriously, did not question why Russia would need South African-produced arms and ammunition matching neither the types nor the calibres of the systems in service with Russia’s armed forces. It asked how such a minuscule amount of “arms and ammunition” that was allegedly “uploaded onto the vessel” could influence the situation on the battlefield.
“But what is more important — why does the US diplomat feel perfectly [comfortable] 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 Kyiv regime exceeded $100bn by 2023 and a new batch for $1.2bn was approved by Washington the other day.
“Why doesn’t Ambassador Brigety say a word about these arms being used to attack cities in Donbas, as well as Bryansk and Belgorod regions of Russia daily?”
TimesLIVE
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