Rallies in Support of Mistral Ship Deliveries Held at French Shipyard

SAINT-NAZAIRE (France), September 7 (RIA Novosti) – Activists and union members are holding rallies at the Saint-Nazaire shipyard, calling for the delivery of the first French-built Mistral-class helicopter carrier to Russia, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported Sunday.

The union members work for the French DCNS ship-building company, which signed a contract on the delivery of two Mistral-class ships to Russia in June, 2011.

Demonstrations against the delivery of the vessels are also taking place at the Saint-Nazaire shipyard.

Under the $1.6 billion deal reached between France and Russia, two Mistral-class ships, the Vladivostok and the Sevastopol, are supposed to be delivered to Russia by 2015, to be later deployed by Russia’s Pacific Fleet.

The completion of the deal has been at risk since Western countries imposed sanctions against Russia over its alleged role in the escalation of the crisis in Ukraine.

According to French President Francois Hollande, a final decision on the implementation of the Mistral contract would be made in October.