“We’ll wait until February and then we’ll make a decision depending on the situation,” the source said.
On Tuesday, the official from the Defense Ministry's Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation told RIA Novosti that Moscow has sent Paris an official inquiry about its failure to deliver the Mistral.
The official said that to proceed with the issue, either by taking the case to court or giving France more time, Moscow requires a written explanation of the current situation.
The $1.5 billion deal for the delivery of two Mistral-class amphibious assault ships was signed in 2011 between Russian state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport and French shipbuilder DCNS. The first carrier, the Vladivostok, was due by November 14, 2014. However, French President Francois Hollande announced the suspension of the delivery, citing Russia’s alleged role in the Ukrainian conflict.
In early December, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls called any speculation about the contract's cancellation “premature.”
Russian experts estimate that if France fails to fulfill its contractual obligations, it could face penalties up to $10 billion.
