Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has dismissed Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, who has drawn fierce criticism over alleged corruption links and indifference during the unusual weather conditions this summer, a presidential decree said on Tuesday.

A presidential decree published on the Kremlin website said the dismissal of Luzhkov was "in connection with loss of the Russian president's confidence."

Medvedev, who was currently on a three-day state visit to China, has also named Vladimir Resin, Luzhkov's first deputy, as acting mayor of the Russian capital, according to the decree.

Only one day ago, the 74-year-old Luzhkov who has just returned from his Austria vacation, told media that he was not going to resign despite wide speculations that Monday would be his last day on this post since 1992.

Kremlin spokeswoman Natalya Timakova told reporters in Shanghai that Medvedev had no plans to meet with Luzhkov, and every regional leader has two options to step down, either a resignation, or dismissal by the president "for the rigorous reason of loss of confidence."

Timakova also said that when Luzhkov was on vacation, he had agreed with the Kremlin administration to ponder over his exit strategy.

Medvedev has the constitutional right to dismiss any official, including mayors and governors, with no explanation needed.

The Russian media has accused Luzhkov of corruption and indifference during the abnormal heat, drought and wildfires that plagued much of Russia this summer.

According to the RIA Novosti news agency, disagreements between Luzhkov and Medvedev have merged long time ago, and the last straw may probably be Luzhkov's dispute with Medvedev over the president's decision to freeze construction of a new highway through a forest north of Moscow.

Apart from that, a state-controlled TV channel aired several documentaries earlier this month, accusing Luzhkov of corruption, inaction during the summer heat, failure to solve Moscow's traffic problems, as well as helping his wife, Yelena Baturina, the world's third richest woman, to amass her estimated fortune of 2.9 billion U.S. dollars.

A representative of the ruling United Russia party said Luzhkov's loss of presidential confidence was induced by his own errors, and the party was preparing for the nominations of the Moscow Mayor post.

The Interfax news agency meanwhile cited an informed resource in the mayor's office as saying that "all members of the Moscow Cabinet, including the prefects of the administrative districts, will continue working as acting heads of their respective offices."

"The mayor to be upheld by the city legislature will confirm the staff of the Moscow Cabinet and make appointments," he added.

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