Moscow will seek damages from France if the deal on Mistral helicopter carriers is canceled, the Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday.

"The Russian side will unconditionally stand for its rights in line with the deals signed and demand to repay all losses incurred by cancellation of the contract on Mistral," Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov told reporters.

"I hope the French side will balance everything and make a correct decision," the Interfax news agency quoted Borisov as saying.

He added that France risks undermining its credibility as an international business partner if the contract to build two Mistral ships is not executed.

On Monday, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said a possible annulment of the contract was among the sanctions against Russia over its Crimea annexation. He said Paris might take this step in the event of further escalation of the situation in Ukraine.

Russia signed a 1.58-billion-US dollar deal with a French shipyard in 2011 for two Mistral-class ships, the first one is due for delivery in 2014 and the second in 2015.

The Mistral-class ship is capable of carrying 16 helicopters, four landing vessels, 70 armored vehicles and 450 personnel.