According to the official reports, Russia could sign a contract to buy French-made Mistral helicopter carriers as early as September.

Mikhail Dmitriev, on Wednesday told state news agency RIA Novosti that France believes that signing could take place September, the head of the Russian arms trade agency.

However, that Russia is more relaxed and envisions a signing by the end of 2010, at the latest, he added.

Negotiations between the countries will now focus on the exact look of the deal.

It was also noted by the news report that Russia has agreed to buy at least one Mistral, worth an estimated $675 million, and build three more in partnership with French shipbuilder DCNS. Paris wants to sell two ships and built two more.

The 650-foot Mistral is capable of transporting and deploying 16 helicopters, up to 70 vehicles and 450 soldiers, although troop numbers can be doubled for short-term deployment.

Sources also asserted that the deal would be Russia's largest with a Western country and the first major one with a NATO member.

Russian navy officials began calling for the vessel earlier this year after they were reportedly frustrated with the time it took their Black Sea fleet to carry out amphibious landing operations in the five-day war with Georgia in 2008.

It has been said that the deal is highly controversial with Russia's neighbors.

A Mistral carrier would enable Russia to invade all former Soviet Republics within hours instead of weeks, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has said.

Paris, with the sale, would hand Russia a considerable military advantage in the Baltic Sea, Estonia has warned.

Paris has tried to appease those concerns, vowing that the Mistrals would be sold to Russia as civilian vessels without military equipment. (With Inputs from Agencies)