BRICS Summit: Russia Team Headed to SA To Prepare for Putin’s Attendance Despite ICC Arrest Warrant, SA Split

Saturday, April 22, 2023 at 9:25 AM by Hilary Sekgota

An advance team from Russia will be headed to South Africa to prepare for President Vladimir Putin's attendance at the BRICS summit

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This comes after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant of arrest for Putin for his alleged involvement in the abductions of children from Ukraine
SA citizens online weighed in on what Putin's attendance at the summit will mean for the country

Russia team will head to SA to prepare for Putin's BRICS summit attendance — President Vladimir Putin with President Cyril Ramaphosa (L) during the welcoming ceremony at the Russia-Africa Summit in Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia. Image: Mikhail Svetlov
Source: Getty Images

MOSCOW- The Russian government will send a special team to South Africa to ready things for President Vladimir Putin's arrival for the BRICS summit in August.

South Africa’s BRICS Sherpa says Putin will attend BRICS summit

Professor Anil Sooklal, South Africa’s BRICS Sherpa, confirmed that Putin accepted the invitation from President Cyril Ramaphosa to attend the 15th summit with other heads of state from Brazil, China and India.

ICC charges President Vladimir Putin with war crimes

This comes after the International Criminal Court (ICC), of which South Africa is a member, issued an arrest warrant against Putin for the alleged war crimes in Ukraine.

The ICC called on the 123 countries who are signatories to the Rome Statute to arrest Putin, which obliges SA to carry out the warrant, reported IOL.

International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor said SA has chosen to take a neutral stance in the Russia and Ukraine war.

Citizens discuss Putin's pending trip to SA

Phoka Mofokeng said:

"We welcome your Russia and Vladimir Putin.✊"

Simbongile James posted:

"The ICC needs to be completely restructured for it to consider itself a neutral international body."

MJ Hozanimadoda Qhali wrote:

"Russian are part of this Brics so ICC must understand that and stop insist Mzansi to arrest Vladimir Putin as he has done nothing wrong to our peaceful country."

Roy van der Westhuizen added

"All fluff about nothing. If he arrives so what, if he do not, so what. It adds no value either way. Why even give him airtime."

Jabes Maganizo stated:

"Be careful his enemies will destroy the country."

Jomo Molobela stated:

Welcome Comrade.

Ukrainian Nobel Peace Prize winner urges SA not to let Vladimir Putin in country for August’s Brics Summit

In a related article, Briefly News reported that Ukrainian Nobel Peace Prize winner Oleksandra Romantsova has urged South Africa not to let Russian President Vladimir Putin attend the Brics summit.