WASHINGTON, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Russia has ordered two American military attaches at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow to leave the country, the State Department on Thursday.

    "We object to the action but will comply with the request," the Associated Press quoted unidentified State Department as reporting.

    The U.S. Officials played down any linkage between the expulsions of the Americans that were ordered on April 28 and the expulsions of a pair of Russian diplomats.

    One Russian military officer was ordered to leave Washington in November last year. The second was ordered to leave on April 22, according to the AP report.

    It has been noticed that the late news of the expulsions came at a time when new Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was sworn in on Wednesday and his predecessor Vladimir Putin becoming prime minister of the country.