Moscow, Jun 30 (Prensa Latina) The Russian government escribed as groundless and malicious U.S. claims that it arrested Russian spies, and demanded a detailed explanation.

A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, Andrei Nesterenko, stated that the situation was reminscent of typical Cold War espionage scandals, and regretted that the event was taking place after the US administration announced a new beginning for bilateral relations.

He added that US authorities announced the arrests just a few days after Russian President Dmitri Medvedev visited the United States and met with President Barack Obama.

The Russian embassy to Washington refused to comment on the arrest of the so-called Russian spies on the grounds of a lack of information, according to the ITAR-TASS Russian news agency.

The Russian Foreign Ministry’s press office in Moscow said the situation was being analyzed, and pointed out that the facts as listed by the United States were contradictory.

The 10 alleged spies were arrested last Sunday in Montclair, New Jersey; Yonkers, New York; and Arlington, Virginia, according to US press reports.