Moscow's Mayor Luzhkov dismissed by President Medvedev
MOSCOW. September 28. KAZINFORM Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has signed a decree firing powerful Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, Russian media say; Kazinform refers to BBC.
They quote the presidential press service as saying that Mr Luzhkov, 74, was removed because he had lost the president's trust.
In recent weeks Mr Luzhkov - who has been in office since 1992 - had faced harsh criticism from the Kremlin.
The move follows weeks of speculation that Mr Luzhkov would be be forced out after disagreements with the president.
Mr Medvedev stripped Mr Luzhkov of his post "because he has lost the trust of the president of the Russian Federation", Itar-Tass news agency reported.
The mayor's first deputy, Vladimir Resin, was appointed the acting head of Moscow; Kazinform cites BBC.
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