U.S diplomats stopped near military accident site: Russia

Russia says it will issue a formal note of protest to the U.S.

After it says it stopped three American diplomats from trying to access a restricted military area.

The same area where an accident killed at least five employees of Russia's Rosatom state nuclear corporation in August.

(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESWOMAN MARIA ZAKHAROVA, SAYING:

"American military attaches regularly try to enter closed areas of our boundless motherland and completely ignore notification requirements. The question - why it happens - remains unanswered."

(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESWOMAN MARIA ZAKHAROVA, SAYING:

"They did request a permission from the Russian defence ministry and did receive , as it should be, a permission for a trip to Arkhangelsk, to Arkhangelsk only, nowhere further or sideways. Instead they took a rental car with Russian number plates - which is also curious - and arrived in Severodvinsk where they took a train to a residential area which has military grounds nearby as well as other defence facilities."

The U.S. group are protected by diplomatic immunity.

But because they didn't have the required permits, they are accused of breaking the law regardless.

The area where they were intercepted is intriguing to Western intelligence agencies.