By IANS,
Moscow : Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has sacked the senior navy officer who was in charge of talks with France over the purchase of Mistral-class warships.
The Russian Defence Ministry, however, says the dismissal of Vice Admiral Nikolai Borisov is not linked with the Mistral deal, which has raised concerns among France’s NATO allies.
Borisov was forced out for “internal reasons,” a Defence Ministry source told RIA Novosti.
The estimated $1.5 billion deal, which has been on the cards for months, came close to collapse last year over how much technology France was prepared to share with Russia.
An inter-government agreement was reached in France in January, but no contract has yet been signed.
Under the agreement, Russia and France will co-build two Mistral-class helicopter carriers at France’s shipbuilding yard at Saint Nazaire, while another two Mistrals will be built in Russia’s St. Petersburg.
Mistral-class amphibious assault ships are capable of carrying up to 16 helicopters, four landing craft and 450 soldiers.