The Russian statement came in response to the 90-day deadline given to US federal agencies to remove the software.

The US Department of Homeland Security said it was concerned about ties between company officials and the Russian intelligence services.

Kaspersky Lab has repeatedly denied that it has ties to the Kremlin.

In addition, US retailer Best Buy has said it will no longer sell Kaspersky products in its stores.

Security concerns

Issued by the Russian embassy in New York, the statement said the move would also prolong an ongoing diplomatic dispute between the two nations.

"These steps can only evoke regrets. They only move back the prospects of bilateral ties recovery," it said.

The decision to force the removal of Kaspersky anti-virus and security software was revealed by acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke.

"The department is concerned about the ties between certain Kaspersky officials and Russian intelligence and other government agencies," she said in a statement.

"The risk that the Russian government, whether acting on its own or in collaboration with Kaspersky, could capitalise on access provided by Kaspersky products to compromise federal information and information systems directly implicates US national security," she added.

The move comes ahead of a vote in the US Senate this week to prohibit use of the company's products by government.

Kaspersky has more than 400 million customers worldwide, but it has never succeeded in becoming a major supplier to the US government.

The allegations have led to a number of US retailers withdrawing its products from sale. The latest is electronics retailer Best Buy which said there were "too many unanswered questions" about the firm's software. Kaspersky products will now be withdrawn from stores and the firm's website.