A view taken on January 12, 2021 in Rome shows the Palazzo Chigi, the seat of the Italian government, lit with the colors of the Italian flag. (Photo: AFP)

ROME, March 31 (Xinhua) -- Italy expelled two Russian diplomats on Wednesday due to alleged involvement in a spying case, said the Italian Foreign Ministry.

The decision came after Foreign Minister Luigi di Maio summoned the Russian ambassador to Italy Sergey Razov in the morning.

Earlier in the day, Italian Carabinieri military police's special operations unit (ROS) said they had arrested an Italian navy captain for allegedly passing classified military papers to a Russian diplomat.

The Carabinieri said their ROS unit carried out the operation in coordination with Italy's domestic intelligence agency and the Defence General Staff.