The US last month expelled two Russian officials in response to an attack on an American diplomat by a Russian police officer in Moscow, the State Department has said.

The officials were expelled 17 June, department spokesman John Kirby told reporters. He didn’t immediately provide additional information.

Kirby said the American was attacked 6 June by a Russian guard outside the US embassy compound. Kirby said the attack was “unprovoked and it endangered the safety of our employee”.

The Russian foreign ministry claims the American was a CIA agent and he refused to provide his identification documents. Moscow says the police officer was fulfilling his duties defending the embassy.

Kirby disputed those statements, telling reporters: “The Russian claim that the policeman was protecting the embassy from an unidentified individual is simply untrue.”