Russian mine boss resigns after rebuke from Putin

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The director of Russia's Raspadskaya mine has resigned, the company said on Tuesday, after Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called on him to step down over a mine disaster that killed 66 people.

Raspadskaya spokeswoman Galina Kovalchuk said Igor Volkov's resignation was accepted and that Raspadskaya's Chief Executive Gennady Kozovoy took over his duties.

Putin called on Monday for tighter state control of coal mining industry to improve safety and singled out Volkov as a person responsible for numerous safety violations at the mine.

"Rostekhnadzor (Russia's work safety body) four times asked courts to disqualify and dismiss director (Igor) Volkov, who is now attending this meeting, for multiple violations," Putin said.

"As we know, from the 8th to the 9th there was a devastating tragedy at the mine, but citizen Volkov is still working and sitting in the hall with you all," Putin said.

Putin avoided direct criticism of the company's owners, including billionaire Chelsea football club owner Roman Abramovich, who was present at Monday's meeting but did not speak.

Putin also did not criticise Alexander Abramov, like Abramovich a shareholder in steelmaker Evraz, which has a stake in the mine's operator, Raspadskaya.

Tensions are running high in the town where the blast took place, with riot police called in last Saturday to disperse miners and their families who had blocked a railway line to protest over low pay and poor safety at the mine.

Shares in Raspadskaya, which accounts for about 10 percent of Russia's annual coking coal output, were up 1.1 percent at 8:48 a.m. British time on Tuesday, slightly outperforming the MICEX index, which was up 0.7 percent.

(Reporting by Gleb Bryanski and Anastasia Lyrchikova, editing by Guy Faulconbridge)