Egypt has sold two French-built Mistral ships to Russia – which originally commissioned the ships – for USD 1, Polish Defence Minister Antoni Macierewicz has said.

“It is true that the Mistrals were sold to Egypt, and it is true that in recent days they have de facto been transferred to Russia for one dollar. This operation did indeed take place,” Macierewicz said in the Polish parliament on Thursday.

Russia ordered two Mistral ships from France in 2010 for EUR 1.37 bln. In late 2014, French President Francois Hollande announced that France would not be delivering the ships due to Moscow's “recent actions in Ukraine”.

The helicopter carriers were eventually sold to Egypt for around EUR 950 mln. (rg)