04.03.2011
Kiev has nothing to do but to sell the cruiser formerly named Ukraina to Russia on the cheap or to dismantle for scrap, reports New Region referring to a source in Russian defense ministry.
According to the source, "generally, Russia doesn't need such ship".
He explained that during construction of the cruiser in Nikolayev (Ukraine) "time frame of assembly technology was not maintained"; that could negatively affect the hull's strength and wear.
"In addition, the cruiser has been staying idle at the shipyard's wall for a long time", underlined the Russian officer.
"By all appearances, Kiev understands that there's no other way but either to sell the ship off like a freebee or to scrap her", he said.
It was previously reported that Russia was about to get the uncompleted cruiser
Ukraina for free. Reportedly, only under these conditions Russia would consider participation of Ukrainian shipbuilding companies in the ship's completion.
Ukrainian defense minister Mikhail Yezhel recently said: "I won't order to dismantle this 95 per cent completed ship".
"I think, my Russian counterpart wants to have one more ship of this class in Russian Navy", noted Yezhel. In his turn, Russian defense minister Anatoly Serdiukov added: "Yep, but for free", having emphasized that Moscow waits for Kiev's acceptable offers.
