Azernews.Az

Ukraine on Tuesday dismissed a report about its confidential arms supplies to Armenia, Azerbaijan's long-time foe.

The Ukrainian embassy in Azerbaijan said a copy of the alleged letter of Ukraine's Ministry of Defense to the Ukrainian President, which was posted on August 8 on a local website, is a "provocative and fake document".

The embassy said in a statement that the purpose of this provocation is to damage the traditionally friendly Ukrainian-Azerbaijani relations, whose strategic nature for Ukraine's foreign policy remains "unchanged and a priority".

News about the content of the letter regarding alleged illicit arms is being circulated in Armenian media outlets, which say that a purchase of weapons by Armenia from Ukraine is misinformation.

On Monday, details of the letter from the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, Major-General Sergei Gmyza, to President Viktor Yanukovych on arms supplies to Armenia under a contract between Ukrspetsexport and DG Arms Corporation, the intermediary of Armenian Defense Ministry, were released.

The letter reportedly offers to use front companies registered in the EU and CIS for supplies. The letter contains an alleged scheme of illegal supply of 12 units of multiple Smerch rocket launcher systems and their components, as well as 50 Igla MANPADS from Ukraine to Armenia.

The letter reportedly says that the Main Intelligence Directorate received information about the contract between the Ukrspetsexport and DG Arms Corporation to supply Smerch rocket launchers, Igla manpads, as well as about the fact that Armenia has already paid 50 percent of the contract value.

At the same time Gmyza indicates that Azerbaijan may be aware of this deal.

Reluctant to jeopardize the military-technical and energy cooperation between Azerbaijan and Ukraine, Ukrspetsexport is invited to "publicly renounce the fact of an agreement with the Armenian side".

At the same time, head of the Main Intelligence Directorate offered to carry out the delivery of Smerch sets in a conspiracy from the territory of Moldova, "using front companies registered in the EU or the CIS", the reports claimed.