MOSCOW, July 8. /TASS/. US intelligence agencies are on the decline, which is why they are spinning stories about Russia’s alleged plans to deploy nuclear weapons in space, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said.

"There are some contradictions rooted in the other party’s foolishness. When the US intelligence community, which has a budget worth tens of billions of dollars, makes up hoaxes such as an allegation about Russia’s readiness to deploy nuclear weapons in space, I feel uneasy," he noted in an interview with the International Affairs magazine. "Recently, I have seen nothing that could be further away from the truth, lacking any logic whatsoever," Ryabkov added.

According to him, such myths are an indirect "indication of the declining expertise and level of skills inside this enormous system." Ryabkov noted that the US was making up fake stories instead of withdrawing its tactical nuclear weapons from Europe or at least refraining from upgrading them.

"This never-ending wave of empty accusations, together with threats and calls for doing something in this sector, makes it clear that there is simply nothing but contradictions in our dialogue and relations with the US in the nuclear field at this point," the diplomat concluded.