South Africa’s refusal to allow the Russian Navy’s Baltic Fleet training vessel Smolny to dock in Cape Town for restocking and resupply has sparked diplomatic tensions, with sources pointing to last-minute trade negotiations with the United States as a key factor.
The decision comes as the South African government scrambles to avoid 30% unilateral tariffs threatened by US President Donald Trump.
Smolny, carrying approximately 400 personnel, including 200 naval cadets and foreign military personnel from allied nations, arrived in Cape Town on August 5 as part of its first African tour, the Cape Times reports.
The vessel, on a training mission to enhance maritime, communication and navigation skills, had previously docked in Equatorial Guinea (July 20), Sao Tome and Principe (July 23), and Pointe-Noire, Republic of Congo (July 27), where it conducted naval cooperation talks and offered guided tours to local military, police, students and Russian expatriates.
After departing Congo on July 30, the ship was set to continue to Tanzania and Vietnam before returning to Vladivostok in late September.
A senior government source, speaking anonymously to a local newspaper, attributed the denial to late negotiations with Donald Trump over the tariffs saga. “These visits typically signify friendly relations and mutual recognition between nations,” the source said.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation did not respond to questions about the decision.
Political analyst Dr John Molepo suggested that the timing of Smolny’s arrival, coinciding with critical tariff talks, placed South Africa in a delicate position.
