DCNS Sacks Project Director Responsible For Mistral Carrier Delivery To Russia

DCNS has terminated Yves Destefanis, the project director responsible for delivering Mistral helicopter carrier to Russia on Thursday after the confusion created by letter inviting Moscow to take delivery of the first of two Mistral ships in mid-November, local media reported.

Herve Guillou, CEO of DCNS relieved Destefanis of his duties after French Finance Minister Michel Sapin announced that conditions for the handover of the ship had not been met.

According to the company’s statement, Destefanis has “caused damaging consequences” to the company and did not cite the failure to meet conditions of the handout to Russia as an official reason for dismissal.

Delivery of the Mistral helicopter carriers to Russia could be delayed indefinitely going by the tough posture adopted by the French government.

"The conditions today are not met to deliver the Mistral," Sapin had said on Thursday. “The conditions the French government wants to see are “that in Ukraine the situation becomes more normal and things cool down," he had said.

Vladivostok is the first of two Mistral-class amphibious assault Ships that was to be delivered in October. The contract is worth 1.2 billion euros ($1.6 billion).