Relationship dossier
Russia
South Africa
Relationship assessment
A strategic partnership with BRICS cooperation and naval exercises, complicated by Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Russia toward South Africa
+35Russia has developed a strategic partnership with South Africa and cooperates with it through BRICS. Russia also participated in joint naval exercises with South Africa, including the 2023 Mosi II exercise.
South Africa toward Russia
+30South Africa has maintained strategic and BRICS cooperation with Russia, participated in the 2023 Mosi II naval exercise, and abstained on major United Nations votes condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It has also promoted dialogue on the war.
Overall relationship
+30The relationship combines a strategic partnership, BRICS cooperation, and military exercises with South Africa’s effort to retain diplomatic room amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This supports a durable but not exceptionally close relationship, with the war creating a significant complication.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Russia and South Africa maintain a strategic partnership, cooperate through BRICS, and have held joint naval exercises. South Africa has resisted aligning with Western sanctions on Russia and has promoted dialogue over the war in Ukraine, while the invasion has complicated its diplomatic position. Their relationship is cooperative, though its practical scope and South Africa’s balancing of ties with Russia and other partners limit its closeness.
Areas of tension
- Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has placed South Africa under pressure to clarify its diplomatic position.
- South Africa’s abstentions on United Nations votes condemning the invasion have drawn criticism from countries supporting Ukraine.
Key developments
Russia and South Africa held the Mosi II joint naval exercise with China.
South Africa abstained on a United Nations General Assembly resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
South African and African leaders undertook a peace mission to Russia and Ukraine to promote dialogue over the war.
Major uncertainties
- The scale and implementation of bilateral economic and strategic agreements are unclear.
- The longer-term effect of the war in Ukraine on South Africa’s policy toward Russia is uncertain.