France may sell Mistrals built for Russia to China

France may sell Mistral-class helicopter carriers built for Russia to China. This may happen during a visit to the port of Shanghai on May 9-15 by a group of ships of the French Navy.

The official microblog of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy says that the French Navy group that arrived at the Shanghai port consists of two warships - Dixmude (Mistral-class landing ship) and Aconit (Lafayette-class frigate) . A Mistral-class helicopter carrier will visit a Chinese port for the first time, the article notes.

France is also considering the possibility of selling Mistrals built for Russia to other countries. China, Brazil, Canada, Egypt and India are considered as potential buyers.

“Even though China already has plans to develop its own universal landing ship, the country could buy the helicopter carriers Vladivostok and Sevastopol and then copy them,” the publication writes.

Earlier it was reported that France could flood helicopter carriers built for the Russian Federation. Paris is considering this option in case of termination of the contract and in case of failure to deliver them.

In turn inRussian Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said that France would not be able to use the ships for their own purposes, since they were made to the requirements of the Russian Navy and they were allegedly Russified.

Let us recall that at the end of April, the Reuters news agency reported that France may officially refuse to sell Mistral helicopter carriers to Russia.

Earlier, French President Francois Hollande announced his readiness to return the money received from Russia for the construction of ships.