WASHINGTON, July 15. /TASS/. Russian holdings of US government securities increased to $29 mln in May, according to documents released by the US Treasury Department on Tuesday.

Russia's holdings consisted of $26 mln in long-term Treasury securities and $3 mln in short-term securities. In April, Russian holdings were estimated at $26 mln ($24 mln in long-term securities and $2 mln in short-term securities), while in March they stood at $25 mln ($22 mln in long-term securities and $3 mln in short-term securities).

Russian holdings of US government debt began to decline sharply in the spring of 2018, falling from $96 bln to $48.7 bln in April and then to $14.9 bln in May.

Earlier, the press service of the Bank of Russia told TASS that the central bank does not hold US Treasury securities and is not a purchaser of them. US Treasury securities may be purchased by private individuals, organizations, and corporate investors, among others, through banks, brokers, and dealers.

Japan remained the largest holder of US government securities in May, with holdings totaling approximately $1.14 trillion. The United Kingdom ranked second with $948.6 bln, followed by China with $659.3 bln.