MOSCOW, July 21. /TASS/. Moldovan police have threatened to detain Russian embassy staff and used force against them, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

"On July 19, Moldovan police stopped a Russian embassy bus in Chisinau, allegedly to check documents, and removed the diplomatic registration plates without explanation. During this incident, the police used force and threatened to detain the embassy staff," according to a statement on the Russian Foreign Ministry's website. "The Russian embassy's request to the Moldovan Foreign Ministry to send a representative to clarify the situation was ignored."

Due to this gross violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations by Moldova, a strong protest was issued to Moldovan ambassador to Russia Lilian Darii.