Was South Africa's security contingent grounded in Poland because the country is perceived to be pro-Russian? Or was it simply because underprepared securocrats brought too many people and weapons for the occasion?

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema had a total of 24 officials - of whom about a dozen were security officers - travelling with him on the African peace mission to Ukraine and Russia on Friday and Saturday.

Comorian President Azali Assoumani was accompanied by two security officers and four other officials, other sources said.

Senegalese President Macky Sall probably had about the same number of security guards as Hichilema.

As a result of having such small security contingents, these and the other three state officials participating in the peace mission were able to travel with their guards to Kyiv to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday and to St Petersburg to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday.

Security overkill

President Ramaphosa, meanwhile - with a huge security detail numbering about 120, plus about 12 containers of weaponry (reportedly including heavy arms fit for combat, not just personal protection) - couldn't take them either to Kyiv or St Petersburg, because the small South African army caused such alarm along the way.

Particularly to the Poles. The Polish government grounded the South African Airways charter aircraft at Warsaw airport, refusing to allow the guards or the weapons off the plane.

Eventually,...