“Recent explosions in London, terrorist attacks in Iraq, Turkey, Israel, the latest bombing in Egypt, crimes against local authorities in the Chechen Republic and Dagestan show that terrorism is the number one threat in the world,” the head of state was quoted as saying by Rossiya television.

He called on the interior ministry to focus on “protecting the rights and freedoms of Russian citizens, preventing attacks on their legally acquired property and assisting in the creation of a favorable business climate in the country.”

Putin also noted “an increasing role of the interior ministry in implementing a civilized migration policy” and added that “Russia is interested in attracting qualified specialists and workforce.”

The possibility of Russia resorting to preemptive anti-terror attacks was first indicated by Yury Baluyevsky, senior deputy defense minister and chief of the General Staff, back in September. “Preventive strikes on terrorist bases will be carried out regardless of what region they are located in,” he stressed. “It does not mean that we are planning nuclear strikes. The forms and methods will depend on the circumstances,” Baluyevsky said.

This statement was later confirmed by defense minister Sergei Ivanov. “We were declared a war, and we were attacked, and all means are justified at war,” he stressed. On September 17, president Putin also issued a statement on the possibility of preemptive actions against terrorists.

The UK and the United States recognized the legitimacy of such measures. According to UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, such actions of Moscow will be in accordance with international law. The UN Charter acknowledged that nations had the right to self defense, he stressed. Mr. Straw said the United Nations Organization agreed that the threat of terrorism justified self-defense measures. For his part, then U.S. State Secretary Colin Powell said that the right to carry out preemptive anti-terror strikes was part of the inalienable right to self-defense that any country had.