Sign up to The Irish Times Archive (1859 - 2008)My Account »
Sat 11 Nov 2009Russian plan to buy French warship alarms former Soviet states
A VISIT by Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin to Paris yesterday was dominated by speculation over whether France will agree a controversial deal to sell a naval assault vessel to Moscow, despite the proposal being greeted with alarm in Georgia and several east European states.
Russia wants to buy a French-built Mistral-class warship, a 21,000-tonne vessel that can carry helicopters and tanks, a move that would represent Russia’s biggest arms purchase from abroad and a break with decades of military self-sufficiency.
Choose a Subscription type - required
