This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-37058751
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Russia's Putin sacks chief of staff Sergei Ivanov | Russia's Putin sacks chief of staff Sergei Ivanov |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Russian President Vladimir Putin has unexpectedly dismissed his chief of staff Sergei Ivanov. | Russian President Vladimir Putin has unexpectedly dismissed his chief of staff Sergei Ivanov. |
| Mr Ivanov has been part of Mr Putin's trusted inner circle for many years. | Mr Ivanov has been part of Mr Putin's trusted inner circle for many years. |
| The 63-year-old has now been made a special representative for environmental and transport issues. | The 63-year-old has now been made a special representative for environmental and transport issues. |
| A statement from the Kremlin said that Mr Putin had "decreed to relieve Ivanov of his duties as head of the Russian presidential administration", but gave no reason. | A statement from the Kremlin said that Mr Putin had "decreed to relieve Ivanov of his duties as head of the Russian presidential administration", but gave no reason. |
| Mr Ivanov's former deputy, Anton Vaino, has been appointed as his successor. | Mr Ivanov's former deputy, Anton Vaino, has been appointed as his successor. |
| Mr Putin told a Russian TV station on Friday that Mr Ivanov asked to leave the post, and recommended that Mr Vaino should replace him. | Mr Putin told a Russian TV station on Friday that Mr Ivanov asked to leave the post, and recommended that Mr Vaino should replace him. |
| Mr Ivanov has been chief of staff since 2011. He served previously as a deputy prime minister and defence minister. | Mr Ivanov has been chief of staff since 2011. He served previously as a deputy prime minister and defence minister. |
| He is a member of the Russian Security Council and a former member of the KGB state security service, like Mr Putin. | He is a member of the Russian Security Council and a former member of the KGB state security service, like Mr Putin. |
| In the late 1990s, when Mr Putin was head of the Federal Security Service (FSB), which replaced the KGB, Mr Ivanov was appointed as his deputy. When Mr Putin came to power, he named Mr Ivanov as one of the five people he trusted most. | In the late 1990s, when Mr Putin was head of the Federal Security Service (FSB), which replaced the KGB, Mr Ivanov was appointed as his deputy. When Mr Putin came to power, he named Mr Ivanov as one of the five people he trusted most. |
| It was once thought that Mr Ivanov might become president of Russia after Mr Putin's second term, as a third term for Mr Putin would have been unconstitutional. | |
| But that post was taken by another close Putin ally, Dmitry Medvedev. Mr Putin became prime minister, before returning to the presidency just three-and-a-half years later. |