Row in Moldova over US military drills in Ukraine

Moldova's president yesterday accused the government of defying him by sending troops to join US-led military drills in Ukraine and vowed to punish those responsible, in the latest crisis to hit the ex-Soviet country.

President Igor Dodon said 57 soldiers had left Thursday to join the Rapid Trident exercises spearheaded by US Army Europe, in defiance of a presidential decree banning participation in military exercises abroad.

"In a presidential country, the prime minister would be gone from his post already Thursday evening," he fumed at a news conference. "We'll get to that, nothing is forgotten."

The soldiers were sent to Ukraine despite Dodon announcing on Tuesday he had cancelled their participation in the exercises, underscoring the political divisions in Moldova.