Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has removed Mikhail Gusman from his position as First Deputy Director General of the TASS news agency, according to an official decree.
No explanation was provided for the dismissal. TASS Director General Andrei Kondrashov expressed gratitude to Gusman for his "three decades of dedicated service" and wished him success in "future endeavors and collaborations." Gusman has not publicly responded to his removal.
The journalist recently faced backlash from pro-war bloggers and military correspondents after attending a forum in Azerbaijan where President Ilham Aliyev spoke. Critics accused Gusman of failing to raise concerns about detained Russian nationals in Baku while praising Aliyev and Azerbaijan's diplomatic stance.
Among those who leveled accusations were Sergei Kolyasnikov of the Zergulio Telegram channel, Alexander Kots (a war correspondent for *Komsomolskaya Pravda*), and propagandist Vladimir Solovyov.
Gusman, a 75-year-old journalist and broadcaster, had held the deputy director role at TASS since 1999.