Coalition forces involved in a military operation in Libya should act strictly within the UN mandate and answer directly to the Security Council, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on March 29.

"The Security Council adopted this resolution [1973] with the sole purpose of ensuring the protection of civilians," he said. "So those countries that volunteered to implement this resolution should report to the UN Security Council, not some ad hoc structures."

Lavrov has been critical of the Western-led military operation, claiming that it was at odds with a UN Security Council resolution passed on March 17 to impose a no-fly zone over Libya. Russia was one of five countries to abstain from the vote.

On March 27, NATO began taking command from the United States of all aerial operations to ensure the no-fly zone and an arms embargo in Libya. The transfer of authority will take up to three days and should be completed by March 30.

Libyan television has said that dozens of civilians have been killed and wounded in the strikes and that many health and education facilities have been destroyed. Coalition commanders deny this. RIA Novosti reported.