U.S. President George W. Bush on 24 March telephoned President Vladimir Putin to express his concern about alleged transfers of high-technology military equipment by Russian companies to the regime of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, U.S. media reported. White House spokesman Ari Fleischer told journalists that the equipment -- alleged to be night-vision goggles, antitank guided missiles, and technology for jamming global-positioning systems -- is capable of jeopardizing troops in the U.S.-led anti-Hussein coalition. Putin, however, denied the accusations, according to presidential press spokesman Aleksei Gromov. \"Such unsubstantiated and public accusations might harm bilateral relations,\" Gromov quoted Putin as saying. Putin reminded Bush that Russia has made similar inquiries about alleged U.S. equipment sales to Iraq, but has received no official response from the U.S. administration. (RIA-Novosti)