A spy exchange between the US and Russia is underway following the US decision to deport 10 Russian agents.

A flight carrying the five men and five women left New York after a judge ordered their expulsion during a court hearing at which they admitted spying for a foreign country.

In return, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has pardoned four people convicted of espionage in Russia.

Christopher Andrew, the official historian of MI5, said that he thought the Russians were "getting a better bargain" in the exchange.

"We may not rate their achievements very highly, but the Russians do," he said of the Russian agents.

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