The drill was focused on the "safety of shipping and maritime economic activities", the South African defence force said in December when it announced the manoeuvres.
Western countries have long accused Russia of arresting their citizens to use as bargaining chips to secure the release of alleged Russian spies and cyber criminals jailed in Europe and the United States.
The accord follows a 2023 report by Spain's ombudsman which found that more than 200,000 minors had suffered sexual abuse by Roman Catholic clergy since 1940.