The Kremlin says President Dmitry Medvedev has dismissed Russia's ambassador to Qatar in the wake of an altercation between Ambassador Vladimir Titorenko and airport authorities in that small Gulf state.
Titorenko was reportedly attacked in November by Qatari security and customs officers at the Doha international airport as he was returning from a visit to Jordan.
It remains unclear what prompted the altercation.
The Russian Foreign Ministry earlier officially protested to Qatar over the incident and said Titorenko would leave the country after his hospital treatment.
Relations between Russia and Qatar deteriorated in 2004 after Zelimkhan Yandarbiev, who had served as acting president of the breakaway Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, was murdered in Doha.
Two Russian citizens believed to be secret service agents were sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder and later extradited to Russia.
Titorenko was reportedly attacked in November by Qatari security and customs officers at the Doha international airport as he was returning from a visit to Jordan.
It remains unclear what prompted the altercation.
The Russian Foreign Ministry earlier officially protested to Qatar over the incident and said Titorenko would leave the country after his hospital treatment.
Relations between Russia and Qatar deteriorated in 2004 after Zelimkhan Yandarbiev, who had served as acting president of the breakaway Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, was murdered in Doha.
Two Russian citizens believed to be secret service agents were sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder and later extradited to Russia.