The world’s heaviest bombers which belong to Russia have landed in South Africa to show military cooperation between the two nations, as President Vladimir Putin of Russia hosted African leaders at an economic forum. According to the report our correspondent in Pretoria gathered, the two Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bombers which are supersonic Soviet-era aircraft capable of launching nuclear missiles landed at a South African Air Force base on Wednesday. This is the first time the Tu-160 bombers have ever landed in the continent of Africa. The bombers are parked on the tarmac at the Waterkloof Air force Base in Centurion, South of Pretoria. The deployment of the bombers according to Russia’s Ministry of Defense shows a strategic partnership and is intended to help develop bilateral military cooperation between the two nations. The 2019 Russia-Africa Summit in Sochi (Russia) which many African leaders and other top officials attended, President Putin expressed a renewed interest in Africa and hailed the continent’s great potential for growth. He stated that African debt of over $20 billion owed to the Soviet Union (which enjoyed strong economic and political ties across Africa until its collapse in 1991) had been written off. President Putin also called for trade with Africa to double within the next four to five years. Russia has joined the United States and China in the struggle for geopolitical influence in Africa.
Source: Viewers Corner News.