You're reading: RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty: Experts say Kyiv correct in selling carrier to China

Ukrainian military experts say Kyiv had no choice but to sell an unfinished ship to China that has been turned into Beijing's first aircraft carrier, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service reports. The 300-meter-long, Ukrainian-built "Varyah" (in Ukrainian, "Varyag" in Russian) began sea trials on August 10. The ship was towed from Ukraine's Mykolayiv shipyard in 1998 as an empty shell after a Chinese company paid $20 million for it and pledged to turn it into a casino. Read more.