Moscow said on Tuesday that members of a spy ring arrested in the United States were Russians, but denied they had acted against the U.S.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said they were "Russian citizens who found themselves on U.S. territory at different times".
"They have not committed any actions directed against U.S. interests".
It said Moscow hoped they would be "well treated while in custody" and that U.S. authorities would grant Russian lawyers access to them.
