Support The Moscow Times!

Egypt to Buy Russian Helicopters for Mistral Warships

A Kamov Ka-50 helicopter

Russia has agreed to sell a group of 50 Kamov Ka-50 attack helicopters to Egypt to serve on board a pair of Mistral warships bought by the Middle Eastern country from France, the TASS news agency reported Wednesday.

The Mistrals were originally built for the Russian navy, but Paris canceled their delivery following Russia's annexation of Crimea and support for separatists in Ukraine last year.

France said on Wednesday it would sell the ships to Egypt, ending months of speculation over their fate.

Russia received a refund of almost 1 billion euros ($1.14 billion) for the ships, but was still left with 50 Ka-52 choppers that were specially adapted for service on the Mistrals. However, an unidentified military source told TASS on Wednesday that Egypt had agreed to buy the helicopters.

"A contract to supply Egypt with 50 Ka-52s was signed," the source said.

Reports that Egypt was after Russia's naval Ka-52 helicopters have been circulating for several months. Most recently, an unidentified source told TASS that Egyptian and Russian officials discussed a possible sale at the MAKS 2015 air show outside Moscow in late August.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

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.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more