From Interfax:  Communist MPs in the lower chamber of the Russian parliament have called on the country’s authorities not to purchase the Mistral helicopter carrier from France.

A few days ago, Russia "almost signed an agreement with France to purchase the Mistral," former Soviet cosmonaut and Communist Party deputy Svetlana Savitskaya said in the State Duma on Wednesday…

"A slow process of purchases of military hardware abroad has started," which will negatively impact Russia’s defense potential, the former cosmonaut said.

"Have we forgotten how to make military hardware? And if we do not know certain secrets that other countries know, what is our military-technological intelligence service for? Cabinet Ministers! Give it this task!" she said.  (photo: ITAR-TASS)

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