Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has dismissed the first deputy director of state-run news agency TASS, according to an official decree published Friday.

The order did not specify a reason for Mikhail Gusman’s dismissal.

Andrei Kondrashov, the agency’s general director, thanked Gusman for “30 years of tireless work at TASS” and wished him success in future endeavors “with new teams.”

While no official explanation was given, the move follows public backlash from pro-Kremlin figures over Gusman’s recent appearance at a media forum in Azerbaijan, where he praised President Ilham Aliyev.

Speaking at the Shusha Global Media Forum earlier this month, Gusman lauded Azerbaijan’s political course as “clear and well-defined,” likening Aliyev to a “virtuoso violinist.”

His remarks drew sharp criticism from nationalist bloggers and pundits, who accused him of pandering to Baku amid heightened tensions between Russia and Azerbaijan.