NATO strikes on Libya amount to land operation – Moscow

Odessa: NATO’s actions in Libya are gradually evolving into a land operation, Russia’s foreign minister warned on Saturday.

The French armed forces website said on Saturday that British and French light aviation helicopters of the ground forces had delivered pinpoint strikes at Libya on Friday night as part of NATO’s military operation.

“We know that France and Britain intend to use combat helicopters, which we see as intentional or unintentional development [of NATO’s operation into] a land operation,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

Russia originally opposed any international military interference into the armed confrontation between supporters and opponents of Muammar Gaddafi’s 42-year regime in Libya.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said last week that Gaddafi’s regime had lost its legitimacy and the Libyan leader must leave his post. Moscow is sending a presidential envoy, Mikhail Margelov, to Libya next week for talks with the rebels’ ruling body.