Russian defense minister has criticized U.S.-led air strikes in Libya, saying some of the strikes have killed innocent civilians. Anatoly Serdyukov spoke today in Moscow following a meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Serdyukov told reporters the surest way to protect civilians would be an immediate cease-fire and dialogue between the Libyan government and rebel forces. For his part, Gates rejected the claims, saying the casualty figures coming from Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's government are, in his words, ‘outright lies.’ Gates also expressed concern about the instability in Yemen, saying the Yemeni branch of al-Qaida is perhaps the most dangerous of all the terror network's cells.Later, the U.S. defense secretary is scheduled to meet with President Dmitry Medvedev. Some of Gates' discussions with the President are expected to focus on military and technical cooperation with Russia, including U.S. plans for a missile defense in Europe. Gates is on a three-day visit to Russia.