Russia, China and South Africa start military drills amid Ukraine war, but Russia says no hypersonic missile test

Aboard the SAS Mendi, Richards Bay, South Africa — A Russian naval helping to lead contentiously-timed joint military exercises this week with Chinese and South African forces off South Africa’s coast said the war games would not include Russia test-firing one of its most powerful weapons, a hypersonic “Tsirkon” missile. Captain Oleg Gladkly said the pre-planned joint naval exercise was starting Wednesday and would continue for five days. In January, a U.S. official told CBS News the timing of the exercise, which will be ongoing Friday as the world marks a full year of Russia’s unprovoked war on Ukraine, had…