Sunday, March 27 2005 10:34 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Moscow: Russia has granted asylum to Kyrgyzstan's ousted leader Askar Akayev at his request, the Kremlin said yesterday (Mar 26, 2005).

"Askar Akayev asked that he be allowed to come to Russia, and this has been granted," the Kremlin's press service said, quoted by the Interfax news agency.

It was not clear yesterday evening whether Akayev was in Russia.

But Interfax, citing unnamed sources, reported that he had arrived in the country.

"Akayev arrived during the night from Kazakhstan," the agency quoted one of the sources as saying.

Interfax said that it could not confirm the report officially.

A respected radio station in Moscow said that sources close to Akayev had confirmed to it that the deposed leader had arrived in Moscow.

The 60-year-old Akayev, who since 1990 had ruled the impoverished mountainous nation of five million on China's western border, reportedly fled the country on Thursday (Mar24, 2005) after thousands of Opposition supporters overran the main seat of power in the capital.

His whereabouts have been unknown since, though unconfirmed reports said he had fled with his family to Kyrgyzstan's large northern neighbour Kazakhstan.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told a news conference on Friday (Mar 25, 2005) that Moscow was ready to receive Akayev.