Putin removes Russia's chief prosecutor

MOSCOW, June 2 (Reuters) Russian President Vladimir Putin today removed the country's chief prosecutor, who had played a central role in a campaign against crime and corruption.

It was unclear whether Putin had pushed out Prosecutor- General Vladimir Ustinov or whether the long-serving official had left the post of his own accord.

Sergei Mironov, the speaker of the Federation Council upper house, said Ustinov had asked to step down and Putin had put the request to the parliament, which approved it.

Ustinov is one of Putin's longest-serving senior officials. He was instrumental in prosecuting Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the former head of oil giant YUKOS, for fraud and tax evasion.

There was no immediate explanation for the move. Before today, there had been no indications that Ustinov was set to quit. A Kremlin spokesman declined to comment.

Lawmakers in the Federation Council voted by 142 to none to remove Ustinov. Two abstained. A replacement has not yet been named.

Reuters SI RN1317