MOSCOW, July 23. /ITAR-TASS/. Publications in the media are heavily overstating the size and scope of Russian-British cooperation in the field of defense manufacturing, a spokesman for the press service of Russia’s state-run weaponry exporter, Rosoboronservice, said Wednesday.

He said it in a comment on the claims proliferated on Wednesday regarding the ostensibly ongoing exports of British weaponry and dual technologies to Russia on the background sanctions. These sales allegedly are bringing in hundreds of millions of US dollars to the British exporters.

The publications cited a report drafted by the British parliament, which said the licenses for sales of sniper rifles, military ammunitions, bulletproof vests and cryptographic equipment to Russia remained in effect.

“The rumors about supposedly large-scale cooperation in defense technologies are grossly overblown,” the spokesman said. He refrained from specifying the amount of trade in financial terms.

An official at the British Defense Ministry told ITAR-TASS Wednesday Britain continued exporting elements of hardware, including missile components, to Russia in line with contracts signed earlier.

He indicated that the exports were done on the basis of about 250 licenses issued by the British government, but the authorities cancelled 34 of the licenses in spring.

In 2013, British defense exports to Russia totaled $ 225 million, which is 100% bigger than in 2012.