A Kremlin spokesman said President Vladimir Putin had not yet accepted the resignation.
Abramovich was first elected governor of Chukotka in 2000 and in 2005 Putin nominated him for a second term.
The "Forbes" magazine ranks Abramovich as Russia's richest man, with an estimated wealth of $18.3 billion.
(Reuters, AP)
2006 In RFE/RL's World
![](http://gdb.rferl.org/e0b8ca3e-26c0-444e-854f-cb9e43cd8341_w250.jpg)
2006 IN REVIEW: A photo gallery of key news events of 2006 from across RFE/RL's broadcast region. ...more