MOSCOW. March 20 (Interfax) - Russian Defense Minister Gen. Sergei Shoigu held a telephone conversation with Ukraine's acting Defense Minister Ihor Tenyukh on Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a press release.
"The sides continued to discuss various aspects of the Ukrainian crisis and measures to de-escalate tensions on the Crimean peninsula," it said.
The telephone conversation was held at Ukraine's initiative, the ministry said.
"General Sergei Shoigu and Ihor Tenyukh agreed to continue their working contacts," it said.