Moscow's tough talk came on the eve of the fifth US test of its missile defense shield which is quickly bumping up against the terms of a treaty that Russia again referred to as a "cornerstone" of global stability.

Analysts however cautioned that the Russian threat was unlikely to represent the Kremlin's official line but rather displayed brewing discontent within the armed forces over Moscow's inability to interfere with Washington's unilateral approach to arms issues.

"Russia has not, is not and will not make any concessions on the ABM," First Deputy Chief of Staff General Yury Baluyevsky told reporters.

Baluyevksy stressed that while Moscow does not exclude the possibility of Washington's unilateral withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile agreement, US President George W. Bush and his aides had failed to provide a convincing argument for its annulment.

The army general further brushed aside the recent overture from NATO to develop closer relations with Russia by handing Moscow a stronger say in the Western alliance's military affairs, and vice versa -- a proposal that was broadly welcomed by Putin.

"Russia is a self-sufficient country and it is capable of independent settling issues of its military and national security," Baluyevsky said.

The foreign ministry separately noted that the United Nations this week adopted a resolution supporting Russia's stance on the ABM and arms disarmament issues.

"Russia in the future will continue to defend this unique agreement," the ministry said.

The ABM treaty prevents nations from construction broad missile defense shields under the premise that the threat of "mutually assured destruction" should prevent nuclear wars from breaking out.

The United States argues that the treaty is outdated and no longer takes into account post-Cold War considerations like the threat of a limited missile attack from "rogue states" such as North Korea and Iran.

Baluyevksy said Russia has "no reason to think that the United States is breaking the ABM agreement" with its missile tests, two of which were recently delayed in a partial concession to Moscow.

"However, some things suggest that Washington is close" to doing so.

Russia's tough talk came just over one week before the expected arrival here of US Secretary of State Colin Powell, visiting Moscow as part of a Eurasian tour scheduled to drum up support for the US-led attack on Afghanistan.

Putin was one of the first world heads of state to voice his support for the anti-terrorism campaign.

Moscow officials then said in private that they expected the United States to make some concessions on the AMB in return, and came away disappointed when no such offer was made at the Bush-Putin summit.

Powell said Thursday that Bush would pay a return visit to Russia some time next year.

Military analysts meanwhile pointed out that Putin and his Kremlin advisors have adopted a far more diplomatic line on missile negotiations, which two sides have vowed to continue in the coming months.

More worryingly, Baluyevsky's outburst Friday represented a rift between the Kremlin and Russia's more hawkish generals, said independent military analyst Pavel Felgenhauer.

"The military clearly has its own opinion on the ABM, and it is venting it now, but Putin's opinion of course is far more important since it is he and not Baluyevsky who takes political decisions," said Felgenhauer.