Russia has summoned the Moldovan envoy in Moscow after criticizing Chisinau's treatment of Russian journalists in Moldova.
Moldovan charge d'affaires Eduard Melnic was asked to come to the Russian Foreign Ministry on October 8 to explain why cameraman Ilya Naletov and sound technician Andrei Urchuk -- both of the Rossia 24 TV station -- were detained at Chisinau airport and sent back to Moscow the previous day.
Rossia 24 said the two men were to report on a Euro 2016 soccer qualification match between Moldova and Russia scheduled for October 9.
Russian agencies quoted a Russian Foreign Ministry source as saying Moldova "repeatedly obstructs the activity of Russian journalists."
Chisinau confirmed on October 8 that the journalists from Rossia 24 were refused entry to Moldova but gave no explanation.
Moldova's pro-EU government has barred several Russian TV crews from entering the country this year, usually by saying there were problems with their accreditations.
The most recent incident was on October 4 and involved journalists from the Russian channel NTV who were planning to report on Moldova's ongoing anticorruption protests.