Russian President Dmitry Medvedev today replaced the leader of the violent southern region of Ingushetia.
Fighting between security forces and rebels in Ingushetia has escalated this year, pushing the mainly Muslim region governed by Murat Zyazikov towards a civil war that could destabilise the entire north Caucasus.
Analysts said Mr Zyazikov had aggravated an Islamist insurgency with his heavy-handed rule.
The former KGB-colonel, handpicked by former Russian president Vladimir Putin to govern Ingushetia from 2002, was replaced by Yunis-Bek Yevkurov, a relatively unknown deputy chief of staff for the Volga-Urals military district, as Ingushetia's interim president, the Kremlin announced.
Mr Zyazikov denied earlier news agency reports that he had been sacked. "I absolutely voluntarily resigned in order to transfer to other work," he told the Interfax news agency. "I will work in Moscow."
The Kremlin later released a statement stating Mr Medvedev had accepted Zyazikov's resignation request, but Moscow-based analyst Pavel Felgenhauer said the decision would have been taken by Mr Putin, now Russia's prime minister.
"The situation in Ingushetia is out of control," Mr Felgenhauer added, speaking of the region which borders Chechnya.
"The vast majority of the people are against Zyazikov and that has helped the underground Islamists. There is lots of personal anger against him."
Residents of Ingushetia's main city Nazran celebrated news of Mr Zyazikov's departure in the streets - normally deserted at night.
Reuters