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What did South Africa's naval drill involve?
Summary
A look back at a joint exercise hosted off South Africa, and the fighting around Bakhmut in the days before it.
What happened on 17 February 2023 in the Indian Ocean? The South African Navy hosted a ten-day joint military exercise with Russia and China, named "Mosi II" after the Tswana word for "smoke".
The drill involved South Africa's naval forces alongside those of two states whose relations with Pretoria it placed under the spotlight: Russia–South Africa and China–South Africa ties.
Bakhmut in the background
Three days earlier, on 14 February 2023, Ukrainian forces had blown up a bridge between Bakhmut and Kostiantynivka. Russian troops and Wagner Group fighters were advancing on Bakhmut at the time, as the battle for the city continued.
