Russia may carry out pre-emptive strikes against terrorists anywhere in the world to protect itself and its citizens.
"If we know that a terrorist act against Russia or its citizens is being organised in any region of the world, we reserve the right to carry out a strike to eliminate this threat," Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov said on Tuesday in the Caucasus town of Botlikh.
"For this, it is possible to use everything so that it would be effective, except nuclear weapons," said Ivanov, according to Russian news agencies.
The defence chief said all routes for terrorists and drugs traffickers across the Russian border from the Caspian Sea to the Black Sea will be blockaded in 2007.
President Vladimir Putin has decided to create two mountain brigades and a brigade of Interior Ministry troops in the North Caucasus region to better defend the border, said Ivanov.