Russia denied on Wednesday (April 9) Arab and Western media reportsthat Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was sheltering in the compound of itsembassy in Baghdad. Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko told Russian stateTelevision in Moscow the statement was "not in any way true," andcalled it "another attempt to place our embassy in Baghdad under threat," in an apparent reference to protests on April 2 over U.S.strikes on Baghdad, which Moscow said threatened the lives of its diplomats.

Russia has also blamed the United States for an incident - stillunexplained - in which a convoy of Russian diplomats came under fire as it was leaving Baghdad.

Russia, which has long had close economic ties with Iraq, hasconsistently opposed the U.S.-led effort to topple Saddam.

Washington has accused Russian firms of selling Iraq banned military technology, including electronic jamming equipment and night vision goggles.

Moscow denies the allegations.

Rumsfeld says Syria aiding Iraqi regime

In Washington, US Defense Secretary said senior Iraqi leaders are fleeing to Syria, which is continuing to send military assistance into Iraq, US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld charged.

"I have accurately advised that they not provide military assistance to Iraq," said Rumsfeld. "They seem to have made a conscious decision to ignore that.

"Senior regime people are moving out of Iraq into Syria and Syria is continuing to send things into Iraq. We find it notably unhelpful," he said, noting that Syria had been providing Iraq forces with equipment including night vision goggles.

Rumsfeld said intelligence pointed to Syria having been "cooperative in facilitating the movement of people out of Iraq into Syria."

"In some cases, they stay there, finding safe keeping there. In other cases, they're moving from Syria to still other places.
We've also seen people from Syria moving into Iraq, unhelpfully," he added.

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US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld (AFP/File/Nicholas Roberts)