U.S. media reports alleging that Russian intelligence offered bounty to Taliban for killing soldiers in Afghanistan were a “downright lie,” Moscow’s ambassador in Washington Anatoly Antonov said Wednesday, and are “poisoning the atmosphere of cooperation” on the Afghan peace process.

U.S. media reports alleging that Russian intelligence offered bounty to Taliban for killing soldiers in Afghanistan were a “downright lie,” Moscow’s ambassador in Washington Anatoly Antonov said Wednesday, and are “poisoning the atmosphere of cooperation” on the Afghan peace process.