South Africa denies US claims of aiding Russia in Ukraine conflict.

South Africa has rejected US accusations that a Russian ship collected weapons from a naval base near Cape Town in December 2021. The US ambassador to South Africa was summoned and apologized for his comments. South Africa, which has abstained from voting on UN resolutions on the war in Ukraine, has denied approving any arms shipment to Russia. The country has launched an inquiry into the allegations. The Lady R, the ship in question, arrived in the Russian port of Novorossiysk on February 16, 2022, and was tied to a company sanctioned by the US for transporting weapons for the Russian government.