Denying Delivery Safety Talks With NATO, Russia's Ministry Of Defense: Hoax

JAKARTA - Russia firmly denies reports of talks by their military commanders, with officials of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), calling them lies.

The denial came regarding news raised by the media, citing a high-level contact between the Chief of General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces General Valery Gerasimov and NATO Military Committee Chairman Rob Bauer.

A day earlier, online source Euractiv quoted NATO sources as saying Bauer and Gerasimov " recently agreed to be 'be careful', especially with ships that do not sail close to each other in the Black Sea to avoid accidents."

"West media speculation about the alleged'recent' conversation between the Chief of General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Army General Valery Gerasimov and NATO Military Committee Chairman Rob Bauer, is a hoax," the ministry said.

"There is no such contact, let alone'systematic', with the Chair of the NATO Military Committee or other representatives of the North Atlantic Alliance in the Russia-American crisis commission that is not available for conflict resolution," the ministry said.

In addition, the ministry also stressed that speculation about the conclusion, a 'certain agreement' with Bauer regarding the movement of safe ships in the Black Sea is 'fictive from start to finish'.