Russia's Defense Ministry fears that planned budget cuts could plunge the country's armed forces into catastrophe, the influential Segodnya newspaper reported Friday.


First Deputy Defense Minister Andrei Kokoshin, firing the latest salvo in the military's campaign against cuts in its once-huge budget, predicted Russia's defense capability would be harmed.


"It is clear we are heading into a situation where we will lose control over the armed forces," Segodnya quoted him as telling a closed government meeting.


The government, which says it can no longer afford to maintain high levels of military expenditure now the Cold War is over, is steadily cutting away at the 2.5 million people in the armed forces.


This year's budget, which must be approved by parliament, allocated the armed forces 37 trillion rubles ($22 billion), less than half the 80 trillion rubles the Defense Ministry wants.


Kokoshin said the budget shortfall could threaten plans to cut the armed forces and put them onto a more professional basis by ending conscription. The army would have to lay off 400,000 soldiers, which could spark social unrest, he said.