Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that his country is seriously preparing to launch preventive strikes against terrorists.

"We in Russia are engaged in serious preparations at the moment to act against terrorists in a preventive manner," Putin told the third international conference of mayors.

The president said that the strikes will proceed "in strict compliance with the law, constitutional standards, and the principles of international law."

Russia has recently suffered a string of serious terrorist attacks including the downing of two Russian passenger planes, a suicide bombing in central Moscow and the deadly school hostage-taking in southern Russia.

Russian authorities blamed the tragedies, which occurred successively during the past three weeks and left over 430 people dead, on Chechen rebels.

Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev, in a letter posted Friday on a rebel website, claimed responsibility for all the three terrorist attacks.

Russian Chief of staff Yuri Baluyevsky announced early this month that Russia is prepared to launch preemptive strikes against terrorist bases in any part of the world, but ruled out nuclear strikes.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also confirmed that preventive strikes on terrorist bases in other parts of the world would be anextreme measure and a last resort for the Russian government.

Speaking at the Friday meeting, Putin also denounced the policyof double standards in dealing with terrorists, stressing that "the indulgent and excusatory attitude toward killers is tantamount to abetting terrorism," according to Itar-Tass.

"It is absolutely unacceptable to yield to the idea that bargaining with terrorists will give us something. Every concession leads to expanding their demands and multiplying our losses," Putin said.

Russia has accused the West of double standards on terrorism and firmly turned down the call for holding talks with terrorists.

Source: Xinhua