You're reading: Russia considers guarding key Kyrgyz sites

MOSCOW, June 18 (Reuters) - Russia is considering sending troops to Kyrgyzstan to guard strategic facilities, Russian news agencies cited a Defence Ministry source as saying on Friday.

"We confirm that there was a request from the Kyrgyz authorities about the dispatch of Russian military personnel to protect strategic facilities. We have taken this request under consideration. No final decision has been made," RIA, Itar-Tass and Interfax quoted the source as saying.

Kyrgyz interim leader Roza Otunbayeva was quoted by Russian newspaper Kommersant as saying in an interview published on Friday that her government had asked Russia to send troops to guard vital facilities such as reservoirs and hydroelectric power plants.