Mistral ship, originally built for Russia, sails to Egypt
One of the two Mistral amphibious assault warships that were originally built for the Russian Navy left the port of Saint-Nazaire destined for Egypt, the Associated Free Press reports.
The “Gamal Abdel Nasser,” a helicopter carrier formerly named “Vladivostok”, will travel along the Atlantic where it will sail through the Strait of Gibraltar and into the Mediterranean Sea. In total, the ship will cover about three thousand nautical miles. The Gamal Abdel Nasser is bound to take part in joint exercises with France. The second Mistral vessel will be sent to Egypt in late September.
The Gamal Abdel Nasser officially joined Egyptian Navy only recently. The contract on delivery of Mistrals between Russia and France was signed in 2011. The first ship was supposed to become operational in the Russian Navy in November 2014 but the deal fell through due to the West’s opposition to Russia’s role in the conflict in Ukraine.