Russia's defence minister has strongly condemned a proposal to restructure the country's strategic nuclear rocket forces.

Ivor Sergeyev said the proposal to eliminate the forces as a separate branch of the armed forces was "a crime against Russia" and "absolute madness".

However, he denied earlier reports that he had threatened to resign if the proposal was adopted.

The plan, put forward by chief of staff General Anatoly Kvashnin, aimed to free up badly needed resources for Russia's conventional forces.

At a closed meeting of generals on Wednesday, he proposed cutting the strategic rocket force from 22 divisions to two.

Supporters of Mr Kvashnin's proposal say it would aid Russian forces in its ongoing offensive against rebels in Chechnya.

But the proposal was seen as a direct challenge to Mr Sergeyev, a former rocket forces commader, who backs their independent command.

Internal feud

Generals were trying to play down speculation about an internal feud within the armed forces.

But commentators and media reports said Mr Kvashnin's expression of dissent was "unprecedented".

"This is the start of a very serious ... crisis within the armed forces, and between the armed forces and the government," said independent military analyst Pavel Felgenhauer.

The daily Kommersant said the opposition against the Mr Sergeyev "can only be described as a coup attempt in the military".

Balance of forces

Strategic Rocket forces commander General Vladimir Yakovlev also criticised the proposal to restructure his force, telling Itar-Tass news agency it could disrupt Russia's position in international affairs.

"Changing the balance of forces, as implied by reforming the rocket forces, could lead to the disruption of negotiations and transform our country into a second-rate nuclear power," he said.

However, supporters of the proposal say that if Russia were to cut its nuclear rocket forces, it could push for bigger cuts in warheads in arms control talks with the US.