Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev voiced dismay over the "indiscriminate use of force" by coalition aircraft in Libya

Russia and the United States on Tuesday clashed over Western bombing raids in Libya, with Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev voicing dismay over the "indiscriminate use of force" by coalition aircraft in Libya in talks with US Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

"Medvedev expressed concern about how the Security Council resolution on the no-fly zone was being implemented, and about the possibility of casualties among the civilian population in connection with the indiscriminate use of force by the aviation," the Kremlin press service said.

Gates rejected Moscow's criticism of the strikes against Moammar Gaddafi's regime even as he predicted that the bombing would be scaled back within days.

Russia, taking a tougher stance after choosing not to block a UN resolution last week approving military action, urged an immediate ceasefire and Medvedev "confirmed Russia's readiness to mediate a peaceful end to the Libyan conflict."

Earlier, Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov charged coalition forces with killing civilians in their bombing campaign.
As a grim-faced Gates looked on, Serdyukov said civilian deaths "shouldn't have been let to happen and we informed our US counterparts of our opposition".

Gates, however, said international forces were ‘careful’ to avoid risking civilian lives and that most targets in the strikes were located well away from cities and towns.

He later told reporters travelling with him that nearly all civilian casualties in the fighting had been caused by Gaddafi's forces and questioned Moscow's "tone".