Updated 3:37 p.m. Moscow Time
MOSCOW, October 10 (RIA Novosti) – France has postponed the delivery of first Mistral-class warship to Russia but this does not violate the contract, a high-ranking Russian defense industry source said Friday.
Under the contract, France is to deliver the warships after October 30-31.
"France constantly postpones the delivery date of the first Mistral, citing purely technical reasons, which is admissible under the contract. So far, we agree to it," the source said.
The 1.2-billion-euro (approximately $1.5 billion) contract to supply the Mistral-class ships between the French ship-building company DCNS and Russia's state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport was signed in June 2011. The first carrier, the Vladivostok, is to be operated by the Russian Navy in 2014, while the second ship, the Sevastopol, will arrive in 2015.
Earlier in September, French President Francois Hollande threatened to suspend the delivery of the helicopter carriers, citing alleged involvement of Russia in the Ukrainian crisis as the reason. However, a French diplomatic source later told RIA Novosti that the delivery had not been officially put off and that the French president was simply outlining his political stance.
Hollande later stated he would make the decision in late October. The president added that the two conditions for the delivery of the ships are an observed ceasefire in Ukraine and a political settlement of the conflict.
On September 30, Igor Sevastyanov, a deputy director general of Rosoboronexport, announced that Russia and France may sign an act on transferring first French-built Mistral class amphibious assault ship to Russia in late October or early November.
