You're reading: China ready to pay for second Crimea-built hovercraft, but compromise needed with Kyiv

Simferopol - China stands ready to repay its $11 million debt to Crimea's Morye shipyards for two built hovercraft, said Crimean Industry Minister Andrei Skrynnik.

The contract for building two Zubr-class ships was signed when Crimea was part of Ukraine. China got both, but paid for one.

“Talks are currently underway between Russia, China and Ukraine to recover the contract-agreed sum for the shipyard. China wants to pay, is interested in cooperation and demonstrates understanding, but it is rather difficult to find common ground and compromise with Ukrainian colleagues,” Skrynnik said at a media conference in Simferopol on Monday, Nov. 24.

He said China had been running settlements for the ships with the Ukrainian state company Ukrspecexport, but suspended payments after Crimea re-united with Russia.

“The entire package of documents related to the Zubr contract is in the Morye shipyard’s ownership. Clearly enough, we cannot rule out industrial espionage, but no one possesses the documentation in its entirety that would allow China or any other country to build such ships in a turnkey project,” Skrynnik said.