Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has fired six police generals, the Kremlin press service said on Monday.
No reason was given for the dismissals but they are seen as part of the ongoing police reform that aims to trim the police force by 20% to about 1.1 million by 2012.
Currently all Interior Ministry officials have been formally suspended, assuming the title of "acting," and will only have their official status restored after an official performance review, due to be completed by June 1.
The six generals - all with the rank of major general - lost their positions irretrievably and there is no chance of a comeback for them.
They include: Vladimir Bulatov, head of the ministry's anti-extremism support center; Igor Zhukov, head of the ministry's transport directorate for the North Caucasus; Alexander Kulikov, head of the ministry's Tver Region directorate; Nikolai Mikhailov, head of the Siberian Institute of Law; Vladimir Fursov, head of the ministry's Tambov Region directorate; and Alexander Chislov, head of the Tyumen Institute of Law.
Last week, an undisclosed number of Interior Ministry officials failed their performance review tests but their names were not revealed.
MOSCOW, March 21 (RIA Novosti)
