Gen. Yury Baluyevsky, chief of the General Staff of Russia's Armed Forces, suggested the launch of the missiles carrying non-nuclear warheads could lead to members of the nuclear club launching a counterstrike.

"This [the use of non-nuclear ICBMs] may trigger an irreversible reaction in countries with nuclear arsenals because they will be unable to identify the type of warhead on a ballistic missile and its target," he said.

The general's comment came following the United States' declared intention to place non-nuclear warheads on its ICBMs.

"Our American colleagues say that they [missiles] can be used to kill bin Laden," he said, but suggested that this was not the best way to deal with the al-Qaeda leader and was "an expensive pleasure."

In this context, Baluyevsky called for an international legal framework for such missiles.

Related Links
-