A gay couple was arrested on Monday for attempting to leave a tribute for the people of the Orlando attack outside the US embassy in Moscow.

RBK newspaper reported that its social media editor Islam Abdullabeckov and his partner Felix Glyukman tried to leave a ‘Love Wins’ sign and flowers on the steps of the embassy. It was reported that they were detained onsite.

The pair hoped to show their sympathy and support for the weekend attack, which left 49 people dead at a local LGBT nightclub Pulse in Orlando, Florida at the hands of a shooter.

“We only wanted to express our condolences for the murder of these people and we had not at all planned any kind of political act,” Abdullabeckov said. “The police arrested us straight away and put us in their car for so-called ‘unauthorised action’.” Glyukman said: "We tried to leave flowers and a sign at the embassy. We did not succeed."

On Facebook, the couple posted photos from inside the police vehicle with the caption ‘This is completely surreal’. Later, they posted photos while in the station on Instagram. He also posted a photo of himself in detention on Instagram with his sign fallen to the ground.