Putin: Chechnya campaign too dear in lives but must be completed

Losses of 2,600 soldiers and policemen killed in the North Caucasus since August last year were "too high", the Russian leader said during a meeting of the military leadership in Moscow.

But while ruling out "victory at any price", Putin stressed that separatist Chechnya may never again be used "as a bridgehead for attacks against Russia", Itar-Tass news agency reported.

Although the main rebel forces have been smashed, Moscow's forces had to "fully annihilate" surviving pockets of fighters and their bases. "The anti-terrorist operation must be taken to the end," Putin said.

(la/dpa)