Two Mistral class amphibious assault ships will be built in Russia in addition to the first two vessels purchased in France, a high-ranking source in the Russian Defense Ministry told RIA Novosti Wednesday.
Some media sources earlier said that Russia may not build the Mistral ships at least until 2020 mainly because the funds for the construction had not been allocated under the state armaments procurement program until 2020.
"The rumors that Russia will not build these ships on its territory are false, considering that this clause is part of the intergovernmental agreement between Russia and France signed in January, and the talks on the actual contract between Rosoboronexport and the French DCNS corporation are still ongoing," the source said.
The official added that any speculations with reference to anonymous sources seriously hampered the negotiation process.
A consortium comprised of French DCNS and Russia's United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) won a tender on the construction of four Mistral class helicopter carriers for the Russian Navy in December 2010.
Moscow and Paris signed an intergovernmental agreement to jointly build the four ships on January 25.
Under the Russian-French agreement the first Mistral-class ship, with a price tag of 720 million euros, is expected to be built in late 2013-early 2014 and the second in late 2014-early 2015.
Russia will construct 20% of the first warship, 40% of the second and 80% of the last two, which are to be built on Russian territory.
Talks on the actual contract to build Mistral ships are still underway. A Rosoboronexport delegation is expected to arrive in France in February to continue the negotiations and sign the contract in April this year.
A Mistral-class ship is capable of carrying 16 helicopters, four landing vessels, 70 armored vehicles, and 450 personnel.
MOSCOW, February 9 (RIA Novosti)
