France to Hand Over First Mistral to Russia in Coming Days or Weeks: STX Ship Company
France will hand over the first Mistral helicopter carrier to Russia in the coming days or weeks, a high-ranking representative from the STX shipbuilding company told RIA Novosti on Monday. "The transfer of the first Mistral helicopter carrier is a matter of several days or weeks," the representative said. In June 2011, Russia and France signed a 1.2 billion euro ($1.5 billion) deal for two Mistral-class helicopter carrier ships. The first carrier, the Vladivostok, was previously expected in Russia by the end of 2014. The second ship, the Sevastopol, is supposed to arrive in 2015. In September, French President Francois Hollande threatened to suspend the deliveries of the ships over Moscow's alleged involvement in the Ukrainian conflict. Hollande later stated he would make a decision in late October, specifying that the delivery would depend on the observation of the ceasefire by warring sides in Ukraine's internal armed conflict and a political settlement of the crisis. Last week, Kremlin chief of staff Sergei Ivanov said Russia will sue France if it refuses to fulfill its contract obligations on the ships' delivery.
French Political Leader: "France Should Stop Being a US Lapdog" and Deliver Mistral to Russia