Russian lawmaker questions plans for Mistral purchase | Top Russian news and analysis online | ‘RIA Novosti’ newswire: “Plans to buy an expensive helicopter carrier from France could hinder the development of Russia’s defense industry, a Russian lawmaker said on Wednesday.
The Russian military has announced that it was negotiating the purchase of a Mistral-class amphibious assault ship from France, worth 400-500 million euros (around $540-$675 million), and potentially building three or four vessels of the same class in partnership with the French naval shipbuilder DCNS.
‘Can’t we build ships ourselves anymore?’ Svetlana Savitskaya, an MP from the communist faction, queried at a parliament session.”