Soviets rap South Africa on foreign-troop reports

The Soviet Union says South Africa resorted to "disinformation" in reporting that foreigners were fighting in the ranks of Namibian guerrillas. It was the first comment from Moscow on reports that a Soviet warrant officer was captured and two Soviet lieutenant colonels killed during the South African incursion into Angola. But the Communist Party newspaper Pravda said South Africa is spreading the false information for the benefit of the United States to justify "Washington's open policy of rapprochement with the racist [South African] regime."

The Soviet Union has never confirmed that it has troops in Angola, but Angolan officials have said Soviet military advisers were in the country.