A former Soviet senior military official believes that the command of the U.S.-British coalition has provided significantly lowered figures on allied casualties sustained during the war in Iraq.

Col. Gen. Vladislav Achalov told Interfax on Tuesday that "the Pentagon's estimates that as of the 19th day of the war U.S. and British forces had lost more than 100 soldiers are three time lower [than in actual fact] . At the same time, according to Russian security services that are keeping a close eye on the military operation in Iraq, the U.S.-British coalition has actually lost more than 340 and about 500 have been wounded," he said.

Achalov paid a number of visits to Iraq before the war to meet with the country's military officials.

Commenting on recent sporadic fights on Baghdad's outskirts, the general stressed that "from a military standpoint, these battles are clear reconnaissance efforts, not an attack as the Pentagon has described it."

"That is why commanders in charge of Baghdad's defense have allowed an advance group from the U.S. Third Motorized Division to enter the city and leave with almost no casualties. This was done in order not to expose their main firing positions in Baghdad's southeast," he noted.

The general said that during this sortie, U.S. troops lost four pieces of military hardware, including Abrams tanks. "It seems that losses could not be avoided. But the coalition's command has chosen not to make them public," he stressed.