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Sacked Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov apparently seen applying for UK visa Speculation mounts after Yuri Luzhkov allegedly spotted queuing for UK visa at British embassy in MoscowSpeculation is growing that Moscow's sacked mayor Yuri Luzhkov is preparing to begin a new life of exile in London after he was allegedly spotted queuing up for a visa at the British Embassy in Moscow .Luzhkov – unceremoniously booted out by President Dmitry Medvedev late last month – was seen at the embassy last week, the internet portal lifenews.ru said today.He received no VIP treatment, stood quietly in a line with ordinary Russians and even had his fingerprints taken, it added, before handing in his documents.It was not immediately clear whether Britain had decided to grant Luzhkov a visa. The embassy today declined to comment, saying it never gave information on individual applications. But the reports fed a frenzy of speculation that the former mayor is about to become the latest high-profile Russian to head to the UK after falling out with the Kremlin.Friends, however, denied that the pugnacious Luzhkov, a conservative nationalist who ran Moscow from 1992 until four weeks ago, was prepared to move permanently to the UK."He's a patriot. There is no way he would abandon our country," said legendary Soviet-era crooner Iosif Kobzon, according to the Interfax news agency.Since his ignominious dismissal Luzhkov has sought to reinvent himself as a semi-opposition figure, an attempt that has provoked scorn from Russia's sceptical liberal establishment. He has criticised Medvedev, querying the president's so-called "modernisation agenda" and called for the return of direct mayoral elections. In 2004, then-president Putin abolished mayoral elections, later reappointing Luzhkov to the job.Few analysts, however, believe that the Kremlin is planning to file corruption charges against Luzhkov, a common tactic used against fallen bureaucrats, since in the former mayor's case charges like this might lead to allegations against Putin and Medvedev.RussiaVladimir PutinLuke Hardingguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
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