OREANDA-NEWS The Moldovan foreign Ministry summoned the Russian Ambassador Oleg Vasnetsov and handed him a note of protest because of the delay in the meeting of the Moldovan delegation with the pilots rescued from Afghan captivity, the press Secretary of the Ministry Alexander Roitman told reporters.

As stated in the foreign Ministry, the Moldovan delegation arrived in Moscow in the evening of February 11, but was unable to meet with the pilots, who, as she found out, are under the care of non-governmental organizations.

"We demand that the Russian Federation provide the Moldovan delegation with immediate access to our citizens," Roitman said.

According to him, the Russian authorities allegedly refuse to tell exactly where the pilots are.

"These actions of the Russian Federation contradict the norms of international law, as well as bilateral agreements. Our Embassy appealed to the competent authorities in the Russian Federation, but, unfortunately, did not receive a response," the representative of the Moldovan foreign Ministry added.

The Ministry also informed the Russian Ambassador that international institutions will notify about the situation.

Earlier, Moldovan President Igor Dodon said that Russia helped to rescue two Moldovan pilots from captivity in Afghanistan. According to him, now they are in the Moscow hospital, but will soon be able to return home.

Taliban militants in Faryab province shot down a helicopter carrying out a civilian mission on 24 November 2015. There were 18 passengers on Board, and the crew consisted of three Moldovans working for the US government and helping the Afghan security forces. One of the crew members was killed and his body was taken to Moldova in December 2015. The other two remained in captivity.