Russian officials ask for Dec. 21 caution

MOSCOW, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- A group of Russian politicians is asking media outlets to refrain from suggesting Dec. 21 will mark the end of the world.

Mikhail Degtyarev, an LDPR party member of the Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, and deputy chair of the Duma Science Committee, said the group sent a letter to TV stations asking them to be wary of suggesting Dec. 21, the end of a 5,125-year long cycle for the ancient Mayan calendar, will bring about the end of humanity, RIA Novosti reported Monday.

"We discussed this and sent an official letter to executives at Russia's leading TV networks," Degtyarev said. "In our compatriots' interests, we ask you to pay attention to the dissemination of pseudo-scientific information about the end of the world in your media."

The letter called on media outlets to label any mention of a Dec. 21 apocalypse as unscientific.

The politicians said too much talk about the world's end could have negative effects on the mental and emotional states of residents and allow some con artists to victimize those who fear an oncoming end.