MOSCOW. March 18 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian armed forces will not be put on a high alert status in the event of a war in Iraq, the Russian Defense Ministry has said.
"The Russian armed forces will not be placed on high alert in general. As for forces on duty, their reinforcement is justified considering the situation on Russia's borders and in the world on the whole is worsening," Russian State Secretary and Deputy Defense Minister Colonel General Igor Puzanov told the press in Moscow on Tuesday.
A few days or even hours remain before the beginning of a large-scale military operation in Iraq, he stressed.
"The enormous machine created in the region for toppling the Saddam Hussein regime will be set off in a few days or hours," Puzanov said.
According to him, oil is the main reason for the developments in Iraq.
"The United States does not plan a long-term operation in Iraq. Everything is aimed at accomplishing the mission as soon as possible with minimal losses," Puzanov said.