Russia has dismissed recent Pakistani media reports as fake, which claim that Moscow is expanding economic ties with Islamabad, including plans to jointly set up steel mills in Karachi. The reports stemmed from a May 13 meeting between Haroon Akhtar Khan, a special assistant to Pakistan’s Prime Minister, and Russian envoy Denis Nazirov. Moscow firmly denied any signed multibillion-dollar deal, accusing elements in Pakistan of trying to disrupt the strong India-Russia strategic partnership, especially after India’s recent Operation Sindoor targeting terror camps in Pakistan and PoK. A senior Russian official called the reports exaggerated and said they aim to sensationalize ties that do not exist at such a scale.