Russia's foreign minister says Russians detained, expelled of spying by Netherlands were on 'routine' trip

Russia's foreign minister said on Monday that four Russians detained and expelled by the Netherlands in April on suspicion of spying had been on a "routine" trip, adding that Moscow did not receive a Dutch complaint at the time of the incident.

Dutch authorities said last week they had disrupted an attempt in April by Russian intelligence agents to hack the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was speaking at a joint news conference after talks with his Italian counterpart in Moscow.

(With inputs from agencies.)