Russia's foreign ministry has urged its citizens to refrain from traveling to the United States, Canada and most European Union countries in the coming weeks, warning of an increased risk of persecution by US authorities.

"In the context of the growing confrontation in Russian-American relations, which are on the verge of breaking due to the fault of Washington, private or business trips to the United States pose a serious risk," said Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Zakharova added that US authorities and special services are "hunting" Russian citizens, without elaborating on those claims. It also recommended avoiding travel to Canada and most European Union countries during holidays, with certain exceptions.

Relations between Moscow and Washington, according to Russian and US diplomats, are now at their lowest level since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, when the two Cold War superpowers were on the brink of nuclear conflict. The reason for this situation is the conflicts related to the war in Ukraine.

Russia and the United States accuse each other of unjustly arresting their citizens and increasing harassment of diplomats. Currently, several Russian citizens are in American prisons, while dozens of American citizens are in prisons in Russia, convicted of various crimes, including espionage and hooliganism, reports N1.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told NBC News that Russia is ready to consider another prisoner exchange, similar to the one in August when Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan were exchanged.

The Kremlin also accused the administration of US President Joe Biden of intensifying tensions with Russia ahead of a possible change of power in the US. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the current administration is leaving a "legacy of conflict" that will have consequences.

Western allies of the US have provided Ukraine with massive military and financial support in the fight against Russia, while Moscow has called the moves an attempt at "imperialist conquest". President Vladimir Putin claims that the West, led by the United States, is ignoring Russian interests and using Ukraine to wage a proxy war aimed at weakening and destroying Russia.

The White House, on the other hand, states that it provides support to Ukraine as part of the defense of American interests. Former President Donald Trump has promised a quick end to the war and stressed that he has good relations with Putin, while Kiev firmly rejects Russian claims to Ukrainian territory, reports Reuters.