MOSCOW, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry denied Thursday that several Russian nationals detained in the United States had any connections with Russian intelligence services.
"According to information given to us by the U.S., the accusations (against the Russian citizens) are of criminal nature, they are not linked to any intelligence activity," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters here.
Russian consular workers in the United States have met with one of the suspects and tried to arrange meetings with the rest of the group charged by the New York prosecutor of illegally exporting military technologies to Russia, Ryabkov said.
"The situation is not only followed thoroughly but is being worked out by our foreign representatives in the U.S. and relevant departments of the Foreign Ministry," Ryabkov said.
Lots of details remained unclear in that case and Russia hoped the rights of Russian citizens could be guaranteed by the U.S. authorities, he said.
There are at least two U.S. citizens among the group, including Kazakhstan-born Alexander Fishenko, owner of the Apex System company which the FBI accused of exporting military-purposed electronic devices to Russia.
Earlier Thursday, the Apex System company, registered by Fishenko in Moscow, also denied it has anything to do with military technology exports, nor it was linked with Russian security services.
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