RFE/RL is reporting that President Medvedev has issued a decree removing the mayor of Moscow from his position. Yury Luzhkov had been in office since 1992. At one point, he was the ‘natural’ successor to President Yeltsin before Putin became the Kremlin favourite. RFE/RL reports that tensions between Luzhkov and Medvedev had been increasing over the last few months. Given Moscow city hall controls so many resources, his dismissal is a major story in Russia.

Luzhkov’s departure is being placed in the context of next year’s parliamentary elections and then the presidential election almost immediately afterwards. There is a hint that the dismissal is part of a power struggle between President Medvedev and PM Putin as Luzhkov became close to Putin and Putin has remained silent about events. Moreover, a further RFE/RL report suggests that Luzhkov is not going quietly. In this context, the story may yet have wider repercussions.