PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - Cooperation between Russian and U.S. military experts to make sure the Y2K computer bug does not trigger a nuclear disaster successfully underwent its first acid test on Friday as the New Year was ushered in in parts of the globe.

"There's been no glitches, everything is working smoothly. We're in contact with Moscow all the time," U.S. Air Force Col. Mike Therrien told reporters after the completion of the first shift on duty at the Center for Year 2000 Strategic Stability at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colo.

News that Russian President Boris Yeltsin stepped down and handed the reins of power to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was taken in stride, with no change in operations, according to Russian and U.S. military on duty in the command center.

"We believe this event shows the Russian Federation is ready to meet the millennium," Russian Air Force Col. Sergey Kaplin told reporters.

"There was no change in operations," U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Edward Rios told reporters. The Russian military men barely changed the expressions on their faces, he said.

Russian and American military experts at the command center sat side by side, jointly monitoring nuclear missile launch warning systems to avoid any catastrophic accident prompted by a Y2K bug.