"I think we are absolutely justified in carrying out pre-emptive strikes against terrorist cells and their temporary bases, including those located abroad," Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency.

"A war has been declared against us and we have to use the means available to us for self-defense."

But he said the strikes would not involve the navy or air force, or Russia's nuclear arsenal.

"Everything will depend on the specific situation, from our own strategy -- and we will not be warning anyone," he said.

Russia on Wednesday first announced that it was thinking of staging surgical strikes against terror bases to try to avert attacks such as that last week on the school in Beslan, North Ossetia, which killed 336 civilians and law enforcement agents along with 31 hostage-takers.

Moscow's military policy is to permit pre-emptive strikes if it feels its security is under threat -- a policy similar to that of the United States, reinforced by President George W. Bush in his declared war on terror -- and to use nuclear weapons only if the country's very existence is in question.