Belcy City
The division of the Armed Forces of Moldova on September 8 arrived in the International Center for Peacekeeping and Security (the Yavoriv military training ground in Lviv region) to participate in the NATO military exercise, Rapid Trident 2017, the head of the Western Regional Media Center of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry Oleksandr Poroniuk told an UNIAN correspondent.
As UNIAN reported earlier, Igor Dodon, a vocal supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin, suspended the government's decision to send Moldovan troops to military exercises as such, which, in his opinion, contradicts the country's legislation until the Constitutional Court of Moldova passes its final decision on the matter.
In the morning of the same day, the pro-European government of Moldova passed a decree on sending the military to training – contrary to the previous statement of the president and the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces that he does not allow such participation.
Read alsoMoldovan troops set off for NATO drills in Ukraine despite president’s vetoPrime Minister Pavel Filip has said, he does not see any arguments that would justify the president's ban.
Dodon said on Tuesday that he rejected the request of the Ministry of Defense on the participation of the military in exercises outside the country.
Rapid Trident, in which Moldova has so far invariably participated since 1996, this year will be held at the Yavoriv training ground in Ukraine's Lviv region Sept. 8-23. About 1,800 troops from 14 countries, that is 11 NATO Allies and 3 partner states: Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, are expected to participate.
In July, Dodon opposed the parliament resolution demanding withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of the unrecognized Transnistria.