Azernews.Az

Speculation mounts after Yuri Luzhkov allegedly spotted queuing for UK visa at British embassy in Moscow

MOSCOW – Speculation 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.