A Russian national arrested in the US territory of the Northern Mariana Islands was to be sent to Florida to face charges of attempting to export arms illegally and money laundering.

Federal court records show Dmitrii Makarenko was arrested in Saipan on December 29.

He is wanted in Florida on one count of conspiracy to export defence articles without a license, four counts of attempting to export defence articles without a license, and two counts of money laundering.

The 72-year-old Makarenko's whereabouts were not immediately clear, but a judge in Saipan signed an order on December 31 to have him taken to Florida.

A grand jury indictment filed in June 2017 accuses Makarenko of placing orders for items like night-vision rifle scopes, monoculars, and firearm ammunition primers with a Florida-based company.

Konstantin Kosachev, head of the international affairs committee of the upper house of the Russian parliament, said Makarenko's arrest was "the latest attack on a citizen of Russia outside the frame work of international law", Interfax reported.

Makarenko's arrest on December 29 came a day after former US Marine Paul Whelan was arrested in Russia on suspicion of spying.

His family have said he is innocent and that he was in Moscow to attend a wedding.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said Washington had asked Moscow to explain Whelan's arrest and would demand his immediate return if it determined his detention is inappropriate.