"Of course, there's no doubt about it." Facing the card. Buddhist nun. Masik looked at him with deep meaning in anticipation, Lin Hongfei nodded with a smile, and also made a pun, "For this unveiling ceremony, our company has carefully prepared a gift for your country." ”

"Gifts?" Card. Buddhist nun. Masik's face suddenly showed a hint of curiosity, "Lin, can you tell me what kind of gift it is?" ”

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid not right now, but I'm sure it's a gift that will make us all happy." Lin Hongfei smiled and shook his head.

But even so, the card. Buddhist nun. Masik was also very satisfied, Lin Hongfei's words revealed too much information, which was enough for Ukraine to formulate a more targeted plan in the next few days, Ha Lu Ha Da Lu smiled, "Lin, my friend, I am now more and more curious about this gift." ”

"Ambassador Tang, do you need me to point this out for you?" When he walked in front of Tang Jindong, Lin Hongfei asked Tang Jindong in a low voice.

"No," Tang Jindong shook his head imperceptibly, "He and I are college classmates. ”

"By the way, the embassy held a welcome dinner for your company tonight, and Mr. Lin must bring his comrades here." After speaking, Tang Jindong winked at Lin Hongfei.

Lin Hongfei suddenly sweated: The ambassador of the embassy of the republic in Ukraine and the representative sent by him today are college classmates? This really surprised Lin Hongfei, and similarly, this also made Lin Hongfei deeply understand the political vision and layout of the high-level: when considering the candidate for the ambassador of the republic to Ukraine, how could the high-level not take into account the needs of future work cooperation? Thinking of the foresight of the high-level in this regard, Lin Hongfei couldn't help but get goosebumps.

"Of course, it's my pleasure." Lin Hongfei's face showed just the right amount of surprise: no matter what, with Lin Hongfei's administrative level, he was personally invited by the ambassador of the Republic to Ukraine to attend a welcome dinner specially held for their group. It's all an honor, right?

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Three days after arriving in Ukraine, the inauguration ceremony of the National Air and Space Museum of Ukraine was held, but on the second day, Jiang Min and Lin Hongfei and their entourage appeared at the construction site of the "Varyag" aircraft carrier: the Ukrainian Black Sea Shipyard. Kuchma and the First Deputy Prime Minister of the Government Ka. Buddhist nun. In addition to Masik, there were the director of the Black Sea Shipyard, Maklov, and the chief builder, Serekin.

At the Black Sea Shipyard, Lin Hongfei and his entourage were warmly received and helped by the Black Sea Shipyard, and after a brief greeting, the group came to the dock. The aircraft carrier was inspected and recorded in detail, and in particular, the experts sent by the military commission were even more excited...... What a great job it is.

But when they arrived at the beach, looking at this behemoth in the dock, the people who saw this huge sea monster for the first time suddenly threw their previous thoughts out of the clouds. There was only one thought in my heart:

Big!

It's really big!

Although everyone has memorized the basic data of this aircraft carrier's semi-finished product, when standing in front of this sea steel beast built by humans. Everyone, including Lin Hongfei. Still deeply shocked, the human in front of it was as small as an ant...... Can such a huge steel beast really float on the sea?

"Every time I see it, I'm blown away by its huge figure," said Ka. Buddhist nun. Masik stared at the massive figure of the Varyag. After pondering for a moment, he finally couldn't help but ask Serekin, the chief builder of the shipyard, "Mr. Serekin, we really can't concentrate on building it?" ”

Serekin understood the mood of the deputy prime minister very well, "Why don't we want to build it?" If the aircraft carrier can be built. Not only will the Black Sea Shipyard be revived, but it will also give a new lease of life to tens of thousands of enterprises, in fact, if possible, we would prefer to build it to completion. ”

"I understand, I understand." Card. Buddhist nun. Masik nodded, as the master builder of the Black Sea Shipyard, Serekin's feelings for the "Varyag" naturally cannot be doubted.

But Serekin then said with a wry smile: "Regardless of the Russian and Ukrainian governments, they don't even have the money to dismantle this ship, and Russia's economic situation has become worse and worse in recent years, and we don't even see any hope that Russia's economy will improve within 20 years, how can it be possible to allocate funds to continue construction in recent years?" And wait 20 years for ......"

Serekin did not continue, but everyone understood what Serekin meant: even if the economy of Ukraine and Russia improves enough after 20 years to support the continued construction of "Varyag", but after 20 years of wind and rain, the "Varyag", which has not received any maintenance at all for a long time of 20 years, will become a pile of rusty iron, right? With the change of new military tactics, how much value will it be to continue to build this "Varyag", which has become scrap metal?

"In 1991, when President Kravchuk was running for the first presidency, he also came to us, and I still remember the words of His Excellency the President at that time with confidence in the face of our workers......" Makarov, the director of the Black Sea Shipyard, spoke, looking at the "Varyag" in front of him with confused and painful eyes.

"What did Mr. President say at the time?" Jiang Min couldn't help but ask Makarov, although he knew that this might be a means for the Ukrainians to take the opportunity to raise prices, but he still didn't hold back.

"Mr. President said to us at the time, 'Ukraine needs the Varyag and we will definitely be able to build it!' Makarov's expression became more and more painful, "No one who was present at that time was willing to abandon the aircraft carrier that had poured thousands of people's efforts, however...... However...... 'Varyag' could not have been completed again......"

The old factory director, who couldn't stand it anymore, finally couldn't help but shed tears all over his clothes!

Lin Hongfei silently, Jiang Min silently, Ka. Buddhist nun. Masik was also silent, and everyone present was silent, and everyone knew what the old director Makarov meant by what he had not finished speaking: It is now the second term of office of His Excellency President Kravchuk, and more than four years have passed, but the "Varyag" aircraft carrier can still only dock at the outfitting dock and let the wind and sun blow. Not a penny was allocated.

For a while, there was a thick sadness on the scene, and the greatest sorrow in this world is the uselessness of heroes.

Only Lin Hongfei sneered in his heart!

During the 91 election campaign, he naturally knew about President Kravchuk's visit to the Black Sea Shipyard, but he knew better that Kravchuk's visit to the Black Sea Shipyard was not so much a declaration by the Ukrainian government as a show by Kravchuk to increase his political votes!

And this was exactly the case, when Kravchuk was running for president. The workers of the Black Sea shipyard, who believed that Ukraine would eventually continue to build the aircraft carrier "Varyag" in the near future, cast almost all their votes for Kravchuk.

Soon after, when Russian Prime Minister Chernomyrdin and Navy Commander Grumov, accompanied by Kravchuk, went to the Black Sea Shipyard to study the possibility of completing the construction of the "Varyag" aircraft carrier and handing it over to Russia, this belief was pushed to the top.

But the workers of the Black Sea shipyards were too simple. They simply did not realize that the aircraft carrier "Varyag" was originally built with funds from the Soviet government. But the insanely poor Ukrainian government demanded that Russia pay the entire cost: about $2 billion. The Varyag aircraft carrier is ready to be sold to the Russians for the price of a complete warship, but the Russian government apparently does not see it that way, believing that it needs to pay 30% of what it had failed to pay. The price of $2 billion is simply not something that the Russians can afford......

In fact, even if it is only 10&, that is, 200 million dollars, the Russians cannot afford it!

It's not that I can't afford the $200 million, but I can't afford the huge cost of building and maintaining an aircraft carrier: an aircraft carrier wants to be combative. However, it is not just enough to have an aircraft carrier, which requires the construction of carrier-based aircraft for various purposes, surface ships and submarines, and a total of tens of thousands of high-quality naval officers and men...... All of this means that even if you don't count depreciation, you need to throw at least $600 million a year into the ocean.

Such a huge amount of money. For the Russian Navy, which is difficult to maintain even the active aircraft carrier "Marshal Kuznetsov", where did they get such a large sum of money? It's a beautiful but illusory bubble.

But Vice President Kuchma couldn't help it, and he couldn't help but ask Makarov: "Mr. Makarov, if the Varyag aircraft carrier is to be built, what exactly do the Black Sea Shipyards and Ukraine need to prepare?" ”

"The Soviet Union, the Central Committee of the D, the State Planning Committee, the Military-Industrial Commission and the nine Ministries of Defense Industry ......," Makarov replied, "I have now come to my senses from the previous frenzy, and I am now clear that only a great power can build it, but now, this power no longer exists." ”

Makarov's voice was filled with infinite discouragement and nostalgia for the glory of the past.

Everyone present finally understood: in the event of the collapse of the USSR, it was no longer possible to build the "Varyag".

"So, we just sold the Varyag?" A Ukrainian government worker who accompanied him finally couldn't help it and muttered in a low voice, with incomparably painful voices!

Not only him, but the other staff members who accompanied him were all in pain, and they knew that in the past few years, the completion of the Varyag was the wish of almost all high-level Ukrainian government workers and the Ukrainian people, and when they heard these words, everyone was almost heartbroken, as if a piece of their heart had been cut off!

"I'm afraid...... It's like this......" Serekin said gloomily, his voice so low that it was almost inaudible.

"Well, in any case, it's a consolation to be able to finish the Varyag in a different place," Ka. Buddhist nun. Masik clapped his hands, signaled everyone to cheer up, and said to a group of experts led by Jiang Min, "Distinguished gentlemen, your place of work is here during this time, please rest assured, we will try our best to cooperate with you, if you need help, just say it, but ......."

Speaking of which, card. Buddhist nun. Masik smiled bitterly, "But the current Ukraine is very difficult, and it may not be so adequate in terms of material security, so if there is anything that is not in place, please forgive me." ”

"Your Excellency Prime Minister, you are too gracious," Ka. Buddhist nun. Masik said this in Russian, and now that the Soviet Union has just collapsed for a few years, almost all of the experts from the country are learning Russian. Buddhist nun. Masik's words naturally did not have a problem in terms of comprehension, hearing the card. Buddhist nun. When Masik said this, he immediately said politely, "Don't worry, no matter how difficult it is, we will work hard to overcome it!" ”

Card. Buddhist nun. Masik was naturally excited and apologized to the experts again and again, saying that this was all his own work not enough......

Lin Hongfei sneered on the side.

"Mr. Lin, ...... your smile" Looking at the faint and mocking sneer on Lin Hongfei's face, Jiang Min couldn't help frowning, paced to Lin Hongfei's side, and softly expressed his dissatisfaction.

"Don't you see? Card. Buddhist nun. Masik is taking this opportunity to raise the price. Lin Hongfei sneered, "Ukraine's material supply is difficult? Ha...... This is true, but do our team of experts need them to provide us with material support? Can't we provide it ourselves? ”

Jiang Min was stunned for a moment, working at the top level, although he can't be regarded as a pure soldier, more like a politician's secretary, but he is still young after all, if it weren't for Lin Hongfei's reminder, he wouldn't have realized this, and now listening to Lin Hongfei's explanation, he suddenly realized that something was wrong, that's right, just like Lin Hongfei said, even if Ukraine's material security is difficult, just a few dozen people, can't we ourselves guarantee the supply of materials and equipment for these people? Even if all of them are shipped by air from the country, it won't be that difficult, right?

"I ...... I'm going to protest! Jiang Min's face was flushed with anger!

"You're going to protest? Protest against what? Lin Hongfei grabbed him and asked him in a low voice.

"Of course, to protest against their ......"

Speaking of this, Jiang Min was suddenly stunned, because he suddenly realized one thing: the Ukrainians at this time were taking advantage of the fire to rob, but because they had the "Varyag" in their hands and were willing to sell it, and the republic had a demand for the "Varyag", no matter how they robbed while the fire was burning, as long as it was not too much, it was better for them to agree to them, because ...... This is the price we have to pay in order to get the "Varyag"! (To be continued......)