President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia has dismissed Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov.
A statement from the Kremlin says Mr Luzhkov was stripped of his post because he had lost the trust of the presidency.
Mr Luzhkov has been in office since 1992. The BBC reports he has been under harsh criticism from the Kremlin in recent weeks.
Mr Luzhkov accused opponents of mounting a concerted campaign "of lies and slander".
Before the emergence of Mr Putin a decade ago, he was tipped as a possible future president.
