War or no war, Russia has done a deal with the French government and the time is drawing close before they have to sink or swim on the issue of certain warships that were promised…
If the French Republic does not want to expose itself to “serious” demands for compensation, it must deliver the first Mistral helicopter-carrier warship to Russia before the end of November, according to a Russian source cited by the news agency Ria Novosti press agency.
“We are preparing for different scenarios. We’re waiting until the end of the month. And then we’ll present our financial demands.” So say the Russians, who are busily engaged by proxy in a conflict in the Ukraine that many Western leaders have been quick to label provocative and morally wrong. France’s deal puts them in the position of supplier to the clearly-labelled baddies – something that the British and the Americans gleefully pointed out.

Will he throw the rattle out of the pram at the end of the month? Putin crying for his promised toy, as portrayed by a French wag.
The deal with the Russians – concluded under the presidency of Nicolas Sarkozy in 2011 – is worth in the region of €1.2 billion to the French state and involves the delivery of two Mistral assault ships. The first was originally meant to have been delivered last month, but events in the Ukraine overtook them and the Socialist government dared not furnish the ship until some progress along democratic lines had first been made in the conflict zone. The second ship is due for delivery next year.