Russia is seriously concerned by reports...

"It causes serious concern that the Russian Embassy in Bishkek has in recent days received numerous complaints from Russian citizens and ethnic Russians about raids on businesses and attacks on their houses and offices, and the appearance of grassroots racism in Bishkek and other Kyrgyz regions," official spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said.

Around a tenth of the population in the former Soviet Central Asian republic is ethnic Russian and some of them have Russian passports.

Nesterenko said that in many instances local law enforcement bodies did not respond to Russians" requests for aid and protection.

Russia has been broadly supportive of the interim government and Nesterenko said that the embassy in Bishkek called on Tuesday for steps to be taken to ensure the safety of ethnic Russians in the country.

The interim government announced on Thursday that it had started investigations into the bank accounts and assets of ousted President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and

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