TODAY: The fall out from the Luzhkov sacking; political post-mortem underway; a bold move by Medvedev?  New mayor should be in place by end of October.  Estemirova killer apparently identified; Investigative Committee to review cases of journalist murders; Sutyagin interview
 
Vladimir Putin has commented on the dramatic sacking of Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov; emphasizing that in a conflict with the President, the Mayor is subordinate, and should have made the effort to ‘normalize the situation’ in good time.  Apparently the Prime Minister and President are discussing a replacement, who is likely to be appointed by the end of October.  Russian magazine The New Times has reportedly published a letter it claims had been sent by Mr Luzhkov to Mr Medvedev on the eve of his sacking, in which the mayor compares his fate to that of Soviet-era dissidents, and asks the President: ‘How does this stand with your calls for ‘development of democracy?'”  Luzhkov has quit United Russia, the party which he co-founded.  Readers of the Russian-language blog of the New York Times have posted their opinions on Mr. Luzhkov’s reign: praise has been directed towards the improved living standards in Moscow, pension allowances, and teacher’s bonuses, whilst complaints of snarling traffic jams, rampant corruption and the bulldozing of historic sites have also been forwarded; the BBC has a similar vox pop.