China and Russia have condemned a US decision to charge Cuba's former president Raul Castro with murder, BBC reported. 

The Chinese foreign ministry called on the US to stop using "coercion" and "threats" against its ally, while the Kremlin said the pressure being exerted on Havana "borders on violence".

The US has accused Castro over the 1996 downing of two planes, an incident that killed four people and fuelled diplomatic tensions between Washington and the Caribbean island.