Paris Auctions Mistral Ship: Paris refunded Russia about EUR 1 bln for cancelled warship contract

France is looking for a buyer for two Mistral helicopter carriers after cancelling a controversial 1.2 billion-Euro deal with Russia because of Moscow's invasion and annexation of parts of Ukraine.

According to the French government, the cancellation of a contract to deliver the two sophisticated warships to Russia cost the French budget "less than EUR 1 billion". French media give more exact figures by saying that Paris paid to Russia EUR 950 million.