Russian forces are put on alert

MOSCOW, Sept. 11, 1962 (UPI) The Soviet Government, at a Foreign Ministry news conference, said it was alerting the Red armed forces to bring them to "the highest state of combat readiness" as a counter measure to President Kennedy's request for authority to call up 15,000 military reservists.

Russia said that an assault on Cuba "will be the beginning of unleashing of war."

"The government of the USSR deems it necessary to draw the attention of the governments of all countries and world opinion to the provocations the United States Government now is staging, provocations which might plunge the world into the disaster of a universal world war with the use of thermonuclear weapons," the Soviet statement said.

The statement made no mention of the recent Soviet commitment to supply arms, technical experts and advisers to Castro's Cuban regime.

The Soviet statement said the United States is "conditioning" Americans for action against Cuba through the "monopoly-owned" press and radio.

"Bellicose-minded reactionary elements of the United States have long since been conducting in the U.S. Congress and in the American pres an unbridled propaganda campaign against the Cuban republic, calling for an attack on Cuba, an attack on Soviet ships carrying the necessary commodities and food to the Cuban people; in one word calling for war," it said.

Despite its tough tone, the Soviet statement concluded on a conciliatory note. "The Soviet Government has declared more than once and declares now, we are stretching out a hand of friendship to the people and Government of the United States."

The statement hinted the Kremlin does not intend sending rockets and missiles to Cuba. It said the Soviet Union has nuclear weapons so powerful and rocket carriers of such might that it is not necessary for such weapons to be located outside the Soviet Union.

"The Soviet Government appeals to the Government of the United States, urging it to display common sense, not to lose self-control, and soberly to assess what its actions might lead to if it unleashes war," the statement said.

It said the Soviet minister of defense and the Soviet army command has been instructed "to take all measures to bring our armed forces into the highest state of combat readiness."

The Soviets will not call up reserves, however, the statement said, adding.

"These are exclusively precautionary measures. We shall do our utmost on our part to see to it that peace is not violated."