Moscow, Russia (CNN) -- Long-time Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov accused President Dmitry Medvedev of leading Russia back into Stalinism a day before he was sacked, a letter in a Russian magazine showed Wednesday.
"Fear to express one's opinion in our country has existed since 1937," Luzhkov wrote to Medvedev, referring to the height of Stalinist repression.
"If the country's leadership is supporting those fears with its own remarks... then it is easy to come to a situation where we have only one leader whose words are carved in stone and who should be followed strictly and unquestionably. How does that correlate with your appeal to 'develop democracy?'" Luzhkov demands in the letter, which was published in The New Times.
Natalya Timakova, a spokeswoman for Medvedev, said Russia's president was not aware of the letter when he decided to fire Luzhkov, and it would not have influenced his decision in any case.
Medvedev fired Luzhkov on Tuesday, saying he has lost confidence in the latter's ability to run the city, the Kremlin said.
Luzhkov had run the sprawling metropolis since 1992. His removal was effective immediately, the Kremlin said, and his first deputy, Vladimir Resin, was appointed acting mayor.
CNN
