Moscow Mayor Fired by President Medvedev

(Moscow, Russia) Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov has been fired from his position by President Dmitry Medvedev because of reported "worsening relations."

Luzhkov, who had been in office since 1992, vexed Medvedev by criticizing his decision to freeze construction of a new Moscow-St. Petersburg toll road and calling for stronger leadership for Russia in an article for the Rossiiskaya Gazeta newspaper.

In recent weeks, he has been the subject of a 1990s-style smear campaign by state-run TV channels, which have slammed him for remaining on vacation while Moscow was choked by acrid smog in August, and for failing to tackle the city's most pressing problems: near-constant traffic gridlock and widespread corruption.

Interestingly, Luzhkov is a strong political ally of Prime Minister Putin who Medvedev is preparing to face in the 2012 elections.

Commentators say Luzhkov's removal is a sign that Medvedev is asserting his authority ahead of the 2012 presidential elections, when he will face off against his long-time mentor Putin, who has hinted he is going to make a bid to return to the presidency.

Arguably, Medvedev is greasing the political skids for reelection by axing a key supporter of Putin. Medvedev has hinted that he'll be going after others "if he felt he had lost trust in them."

In any event, the run-up to the 2012 Russian election should be very interesting as Medvedev and Putin jockey for position.

[Update] From a friend of Luzhkov:

"Yuri Mikhailovich (Luzhkov) told me yesterday that he would file suit," Interfax quoted Luzhkov confidant Iosif Kobzon as saying. Kobzon, a well-known singer, was seen leaving the mayor's office with Luzhkov on Tuesday after President Dmitry Medvedev sacked him.

A singer, eh?