Fergie's Tech Blog

Russian Military Intelligence Chief Sacked

Via RTTNews.com.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has dismissed Gen Valentin Korabelnikov, the chief of the country's powerful GRU military intelligence service, and signed a decree replacing him with Gen Alexander Shlyakhturov, Kremlin announced in a statement on Friday.

Kremlin said in the statement that Medvedev signed a decree "to remove Army General Valentin Vladimirovich Korabelnikov from the position of chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) ... and to dismiss him from military service."

Though Kremilin did not provide the reason for the move, Russian media reports suggested that the sacking of Korabelnikov was over differences on the Kremlin-proposed reforms of the agency.

Korabelnikov, who had led the GRU since 1997, had reportedly tendered his resignation in protest at the proposed reforms of the military intelligence service, which included reorganization of the military intelligence service, cuts in military spending, changes in intelligence strategy and disbanding of several GRU-controlled special army units.

posted by Fergie @ 4/24/2009 09:15:00 PM