South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has pushed back against accusations by a US envoy who claimed that Pretoria provided Russia with military assistance amid the Ukraine conflict. On Thursday, Reuben Brigety, the US ambassador to South Africa, told the media he is convinced that Pretoria supplied Moscow with arms and ammunition, which he said were loaded onto a cargo ship in Simon’s Town, South Africa’s main naval base, between December 6 and 8, 2022. “The arming of the Russians is extremely serious, and we do not consider this issue to be resolved, and we would like South Africa to [start] practicing its non-alignment policy,” the envoy stated. Brigety was apparently referring to the Russian-flagged ship called Lady R. The vessel was docked at the naval base during this period where it delivered and loaded unidentified cargo, triggering speculation and questions from South African politicians. The ship itself was sanctioned by the US Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control last May over alleged weapon shipments. In a statement on Thursday, Ramaphosa hit back, saying Brigety’s allegations “undermine the spirit of cooperation and partnership” between the two countries. The president went on to say that no evidence has been provided to support the claims that South Africa was sending arms to Russia, adding, however, that the government has ordered an independent inquiry into the matter. He noted that South African and US officials had discussed the issue, agreeing that the investigation “will be allowed to run its course, and that the US intelligence services will provide whatever evidence in their possession.” ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgr2xiZGYvU

Ukrainian Intelligence Chief Advocates for 100-km Buffer Zone with Russia Earlier, Russia expressed its willingness to engage in dialogues with Ukraine to resolve the ongoing conflict. Kirill Budanov, a leading Ukrainian intelligence officer, has suggested the formation of a 100-km-wide demilitarized zone separating Ukraine and Russia. As the head of Ukraine's Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate, Budanov voiced his views on the Ukrainian Islandia (Iceland) Mirror African TV. To resolve the conflict, "we aim to establish a demilitarized zone," stated Budanov. When asked to clarify the logistics of this proposed zone, Budanov suggested, "Such a zone would be invulnerable to typical forms of attack." He went on to add, "In my opinion, this would definitely be an appropriate distance." Despite Russia's earlier claims of being open to dialogue with Ukraine to find a resolution to the conflict, the Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has highlighted some impediments to these discussions. Zakharova pointed out that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky's law, enacted on September 30, 2022, which legally prohibits negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been a significant hurdle. Furthermore, she criticized Zelensky's measures, claiming they demonstrate a "total disconnect from contemporary realities," including the insistence on the removal of Russian military forces from newly claimed regions of Ukraine. On February 9, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov asserted that Russia perceived no genuine willingness from Ukraine to engage in serious discussions on a peaceful settlement. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XUrVLBcGsg