Russian Chief of Staff dismissed

Moscow, Aug 12 (IANS) Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree dismissing Sergei Ivanov as head of the presidential administration and appointing Anton Vaino as the new staff chief, the Kremlin said on Friday.

Vaino, 44, previously served as deputy head of the presidential administration, Xinhua news agency cited the official transcript of the meeting.

Ivanov, who headed the presidential administration since Dec 22, 2011, has been nominated a special representative of the President for environmental management, ecology and transport.

At a meeting with both Vaino and Ivanov, Putin said that Ivanov himself asked him to be relieved of his duties and recommended Vaino as his successor.