MOSCOW - The Kremlin said on Friday that staff in some government departments were banned from travelling abroad for security reasons, while some departments required people to provide advance notification of any foreign travel plans.

Reuters reported on Thursday that Russia was making overseas travel harder for some officials due to fears that foreign powers may try to gain access to state secrets during the worst crisis in relations with the West for more than 60 years.

"All organisations have nuances when it comes to the current regime of approving trips abroad," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a daily call with reporters.

"There are departments where travel for employees is indeed not allowed. There are agencies and departments where there is a notification procedure for approval," he said. REUTERS