Shipbuilders Confuted Military's Refusal to Built Mistrals

21.12.2012 United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) has not received any instructions fr om Russian defense ministry notifying about refusal to build two Mistral-class amphibious landing ships in Russia, reports Interfax citing the USC spokesman Alexei Kavchenko. Earlier on, the Vedomosti newspaper wrote referring to a governmental insider that defense ministry allegedly refused from the option for third and fourth Mistral-class ships.

"We are not aware of such defense ministry's decision", Kravchenko said. According to the agreement tight between Russia and France in June 2011, two Mistral-class landing ships are to be built for Russian Navy at French shipyards. The EUR 1.2-bln contract has an option for two additional ships to be built in Russia. Subcontract for the additional ships has not been tied so far.

According to Vedomosti, shortly before his ouster, ex-defense minister Anatoly Serdiukov announced coming conclusion of the contract for the second pair of Mistrals. New leadership of defense ministry decided to throw these plans overboard being lim ited to only two ships. As for sources of Vedomosti, industrialists and the military took the plans to build new ships skeptically, considering those expenses unnecessary.

First Mistral-class ship for Russian Navy was laid down in Saint-Nazaire, France on Feb 1, 2012. That ship will be named Vladivostok and join Russian Navy in 2014. The second ship will get the name of Sevastopol and be commissioned in 2015. Both Mistrals will serve at Pacific Fleet.