NANTES, France — A forthcoming sea trial of a French-built Mistral helicopter carrier due to be delivered to Russia has been suspended for technical reasons, a source close to the matter said Tuesday.
Under pressure from allies, France said last week that it wanted to see whether a cease-fire between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces held before deciding whether it could deliver the ship as planned on Nov. 1.
A nine-day sea trial with Russian sailors on board was due to start Wednesday.
"It has been suspended for several days," the source said. "It's no doubt a technical reason — it has nothing to do with the current situation in Ukraine."
Four hundred Russian sailors have been based in the Atlantic port of Saint-Nazaire since June to receive training on the warship, the first of two that France agreed in 2011 to deliver as part of a 1.2 billion euro ($1.55 billion) contract with Moscow.
French officials until last week vowed to go ahead with the sale of the first of two Mistral ships, saying that scrapping the deal would hurt France and its defense sector more than it would Moscow.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.