Russia will continue to service external debt in roubles, minister says

(Reuters) - Russia will keep on paying its state Eurobond obligations in roubles and will defend its role as a reliable borrower by all possible means, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said on Friday.

The finance ministry said on Wednesday that Russia would service its external debt in roubles, which can be converted into the currency of the original Eurobonds at a later date.

(Reporting by Reuters; editing by John Stonestreet)