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Polish defence ministry expects clear message from Russia over Mistrals

PR dla Zagranicy
Roberto Galea 22.10.2016 13:00
It is in the interest of Polish security that Russia gives a clear signal as to whether it purchased Mistral ships from Egypt, a spokeswoman for the Polish defence ministry has said.
A Mistral ship. Photo: Wikimedia CommonsA Mistral ship. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

“We expect a clear position from Russia on whether it went ahead with this deal,” spokeswoman Katarzyna Jakubowska toldthe PAP news agency on Saturday.

Earlier this week Polish Defence Minister Antoni Macierewicz said that sources had told him that Egypt had sold Russia two Mistral helicopter carriers for USD 1.

The ships were originally commissioned by Russia in 2010, but French President Francois Hollande cancelled the deal in 2014 over Russian aggression in Ukraine. The two helicopter carriers were eventually sold last year to Egypt.

Macierewicz says that the ships are now in Russian hands after being sold for just USD 1.

On Friday, Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman for Russian leader Vladimir Putin, said Macierewicz's comments were "total nonsense”, adding that the Polish minister's sources were “not good”. (rg)

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