Russia and the US have signed a deal to retrieve highly enriched uranium from Soviet and Russian-designed reactors in 17 countries.

Director of the Russian Federal Nuclear Energy Agency Alexander Rumyantsev and US Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham signed the deal in Moscow on Thursday.

Under the deal, in two years, Moscow will dispatch experts and equipment to retrieve and transport uranium to secure storage facilities in Russia while Washington will provide financing.

The American side said the agreement is to prevent terrorists from assembling crude nuclear devices.