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Taliban ‘bounties’ tale: No communication between Russia, US on issue, says Kremlin

The Kremlin spokesman was asked whether the US authorities contacted the Russian leader’s administration regarding the "Afghan affair"

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov Valery Sharifulin/TASS

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. Russian and American authorities have not communicated lately on the alleged ‘bounties’ offered by Russia to Afghan militants for killing US military personnel.

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‘Fabricated hoax’: US Intelligence rejects ‘Russia bounties plot’ claims in Afghanistan

"No," said Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov to journalists on Tuesday when answering a question on whether the US authorities contacted the Russian leader’s administration regarding the "Afghan affair."

On June 26, The New York Times ran a story claiming that an unidentified unit of Russia's military intelligence allegedly offered bounties to Taliban (outlawed in Russia) militants to kill US soldiers and other coalition troops in Afghanistan. The newspaper alleged that these conclusions by unidentified American intelligence officials were presented to Trump several months ago, while the White House National Security Council discussed the subject in late March.

In turn, Trump claimed that he had not been briefed about any such attacks on American troops in Afghanistan. On Sunday, he commented on Twitter that US intelligence did not find this information credible. Trump suggested that the New York Times came up with "possibly another fabricated Russia hoax" aimed at tarnishing the Republicans’ reputation.

On June 29, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, castigated the reports that Russia had allegedly offered Afghan militants bounties to kill US military personnel as fabrications and an "elaborate hoax." According to him, this subject was not discussed by the two leaders.

On February 14, 2003, the Russian Supreme Court declared the Taliban a terrorist organization. The extremist organization’s activities are outlawed in Russia.

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