"The United States had a plan of a military operation against Yugoslavia in 1997. We had information about the plan to destroy the country and the leadership of the FRY to make it possible for Kosovo to secede," Ivashov said, adding that Moscow also had information about the composition of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), its training camps in Albania, and the transfer of weapons into Kosovo.
Ivashov used to head the Defence Ministry's department for international military cooperation and in 1998/1999 he was in charge of monitoring and analysing the situation in Kosovo and informing Russia's president of it.
The Russians presented their information at bilateral meetings with the United States, suggesting a peaceful solution to the crisis and a joint operation of NATO, Russia and the FRY, however, their proposals were rejected, the witness said.
Speaking about the formation of the KLA, Ivashov said that funds for that purpose were secured mostly from drugs smuggling involving Albanian and international mobsters, including those from the Caucasus.
Commenting on Milosevic's policy to Kosovo, Ivashov said that Milosevic did not speak of repression, but of plans to establish peace in the region and the right of Albanians to a certain level of autonomy. At the time, Ivashov held seven meetings with Milosevic.
Speaking about the massacre at the village of Racak in January 1999, which was one of the reasons for the NATO intervention, Ivashov said that the Russian members of the OSCE verification mission doubted the authenticity of the report compiled by the mission's president, William Walker of the United States.
He said that during the NATO bombardment, operations by the KLA had intensified and that NATO agents cooperated with the KLA, which led the authorities in Moscow believe that they were allies.
Speaking about the exodus of more than 600,000 Kosovo Albanian refugees, Ivashov said that it was organised by the KLA. At a meeting of the Russian military leadership on May 5, 1999, it was decided that Kosovo and the territory of the FRY were used to test new types of ammunition, including ammunition with depleted uranium, he said.
Prosecutor Geoffrey Nice objected to the fact that Ivashov's testimony was based on classified information which had not been submitted to the prosecution.
Presiding Judge Patrick Robinson requested Milosevic to rephrase several of his questions because he was deemed to be leading the witness on, warning him that responses would otherwise have no value as evidence.
Before Ivashov, former Soviet prime minister Nikolai Ryzhkov wrapped up his testimony. Ryzhkov accused the United States of having used "Albanian terrorists from the KLA" in 1998/1999 to achieve their geopolitical goals.
General Ivashov will be cross-examined by prosecutor Nice on Wednesday.
Milosevic is charged with genocide in Bosnia-Herzegovina and crimes against humanity in Croatia and Kosovo. The presentation of evidence by the defence started on August 31 this year. The trial of Milosevic started on February 12, 2002.