Russian president fires Arkhangelsk Region governor

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Friday fired Arkhangelsk Region governor Ilya Mikhalchuk, whom he had earlier reprimanded over problems in the region’s public utilities sector, RIA Novosti reports.

Igor Orlov was appointed acting governor.

55-year old Mikhalchuk had headed the Arkhangelsk Region since 2008. He was previously the mayor of the Siberian city of Yakutsk, but left this post after a corruption scandal.