MOSCOW, January 15 (RAPSI) – Russia may file a lawsuit within six months against France for failure to deliver the Mistral helicopter carriers, TASS reported on Thursday, citing Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.

In January, Russia asked for an explanation for failure to honor the delivery contract.

Russia signed the contract in the summer of 2011 under which France pledged to build and deliver two Mistral helicopter carriers. The first warship, named Vladivostok, was to be turned over to Russia in the fall of 2014, but France has delayed the delivery because of the developments in Ukraine. The second warship, named Sevastopol, was floated out in November. It is to be delivered to Russia later this year.

Russian officials have said that Moscow would be satisfied either with the warships’ delivery or with compensation for failure to honor the contract. Chief of the Kremlin staff Sergei Ivanov said that non-delivery would not harm Russia’s defenses and that either way of solving the conflict would suit Russia.