MOSCOW, January 28 - RAPSI. A retired Main Intelligence Directorate colonel who has been accused of organizing a coup has stated in court that he was in fact preparing for an enemy invasion, the court told the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI/rapsinews.com) Monday.

Earlier, Vladimir Kvachkov stated that he has been accused of organizing a group of recruits from his People's Liberation Front to carry out a coup armed with crossbows.

Kvachkov said on Monday that the People's Liberation Front carried out "partisan drills to prepare for a possible war." The retired colonel added that conducting such exercises was necessary due to the poor state of the Russian armed forces.

Kvachkov claimed that the security services infiltrated the front throughout the year and then provoked the organization into planning a coup.

The Supreme Court acquitted Kvachkov in December 2010 on charges of organizing the attempted assassination of former United Energy System head Anatoly Chubais.

The following day, the Lefortovo District Court sanctioned the retired colonels arrest in a new case. The case was initiated on the day when Kvachkov was detained and was deemed classified. He has denied the charges.