By Antony Sguazzin
(Bloomberg) – Russia on Wednesday landed the world’s biggest military aircraft in South Africa, the Tupolev Tu-160 ‘Blackjack’ bomber, in a rare display of cooperation between the defense forces of the two countries.
The arrival of the bombers in Africa’s most industrialised nation coincides with Russian President Vladimir Putin hosting an Africa summit this week, the first such event to be organised by Russia. The nation is competing with China and the US for influence in Africa.
From Russia with love (or?): the hypersonic Tu-160 bomber lands at Waterkloof air force base in Pretoria. pic.twitter.com/8oP5kW0weQ
— Simon Allison (@simonallison) October 23, 2019