As the ships detached themselves from the Black Sea fleet to make their way to the battle zone, President Boris Yeltsin tried another diplomatic tactic in continuing attempts to find a political solution to the Kosovo crisis.In a nationallytelevised speech, he called for an emergency summit of the foreign ministers of the Group of Eight industrialised countries to discuss the crisis. Six of the G-8 nations are part of the NATO operation. The fighting in Yugoslavia was escalating and spreading, threatening to turn into a ``big disaster'' for the whole of the Europe, Yeltsin said. ``The situation can't be allowed to escalate. It's hurting Europe as well as Russia,'' he noted. ``Each lost day results in new victims and tragedies. Actions must be taken immediately,'' Yeltsin added. The Kosovo conflict must be settled at the negotiating table, he added, referring to the recent peace mission of Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov. Moscow today also dismissed US apprehensions about the presence of Russian warships in the battle zone as ``absurd.'' Speaking at a briefing today, Ivanov said he had told US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright that Russia was sending the warships to protect ``Russian interests.'' Russia's chief naval commander AdmiralValadimir Kurodeyev said naval forces were ``ready to fulfill any task'' related to the Kosovo crisis, NTV quoted him as saying.

He was referring to the ongoing naval exercises by the North, Pacific and Baltic fleets and the spotting of a US submarine near the Russian naval wargame area. At a ceremony in the Kremlin, devoted to the exchange of recently ratified friendship treaties, Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma backed Russia in its opposition to the NATO-led action against Yugoslavia.

The Yugoslav crisis makes the Russian-Ukrainian strategic partnership in the world arena a ``vitally important task,'' Yeltsin said in his speech. Belarus, following the Russian line, has also suspended relations with NATO.

NATO's already lost the war: Russian experts

Russian defence experts, back from a visit from Belgrade along with Premier Yevgeny Primakov, feel NATO has already ``lost the war'' against Yugoslavia. The experts have indicated success for the Serbs if their attempt to draw NATO ground forcescloser to the war theatre -- where they will be able to show the invading forces ``their proper place'' -- is successful. Russian political observer Vyacheslav Nikonov has calculated that ``NATO will require at least one million servicemen to occupy Yugoslavia and capture Belgrade.'' That would provide the Serbs the opportunity to wage guerrilla war, in which they have no peers.