MOSCOW, December 1 (RIA Novosti)-Russia's most senior military officer offered sharp criticism Thursday of what he considered to be a case of double standards in how the United States approached nuclear security issues.

Chief of the General Staff Yury Baluyevsky said: "The U.S. has made demands that a number of countries' nuclear programs should be completely transparent. On the other hand, the U.S. turns a blind eye to the fact that Israel has for a long time ... had a significant nuclear arsenal."