Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili is...

"The real threat in the Black Sea basin is no longer the notorious Mistral that Russia might buy, but Saakashvili himself," Dmitry Rogozin told RIA Novosti on Friday.

Speaking on Thursday at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London, Saakashvili criticized the plans of the French authorities to sell Russia a Mistral-class amphibious assault vessel, as well as over recent reports of talks for the sale of armored vehicles.

The Russian military earlier announced that it was considering buying one of the Mistral-class amphibious assault ships, worth 400-500 million euros (around $540-$675 million), and potentially building three or four vessels of the same class in partnership with the French naval shipbuilder DCNS. The French government has approved the sale but Russia has not yet made a final decision.

A Mistral-class ship is capable of transporting and deploying 16 helicopters, four landing barges, up to 70 vehicles including 13 battle tanks, and 450

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