MOSCOW - Russia said yesterday that it would not continue the agreement under which American Peace Corps volunteers work in this country.

In recent months, Russia has increasingly criticized American Peace Corps volunteers, accused them of spying and refused to renew their visas.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander V. Yakovenko made the announcement yesterday, citing the changing economic and social tasks facing Russia.

He expressed thanks for Peace Corps efforts in Russia and said talks were being held with the United States "in forms of partnership more in line with today's needs."

The State Department confirmed that Russia was withdrawing from the Peace Corps agreement. More than 700 Peace Corps volunteers have served in Russia since 1992.

Earlier this year, Russia denied visa renewals to 30 volunteers, cutting their number in half. Most of them were teaching English in provincial schools. Ten volunteers were denied visa extensions last year.

Nikolai P. Patrushev, director of the FSB, the successor agency of the KGB, said this month that among those denied visas were "persons who were engaged in gathering information about the sociopolitical and economic situation in Russian regions, about employees of organs of power and administration, and about elections."

He singled out the director of the Peace Corps unit in the Russian Far East, who he said had violated a closed zone on the Russian-Chinese border.