Moscow, Mar 22 (UNI) The head of the Russian Defence Ministry's International Military Cooperation Department, Col General Anatoly Mazurkevich, has been dismissed from his post amid financial investigation in the department.

''Mazurkevich was dismissed from office some time ago, and his department is undergoing financial checks,'' a source in the Defence Ministry told RIA Novosti news agency today.

The source added ''the checks have been ordered by the Ministry's top officials.'' The Ministry has so far made no comment on Mazurkevich's dismissal, which was preceded by the firing of several other officials from the department for international military cooperation, the agency reported.

Besdies, Col Mazurkevich told Interfax news agency that he resigned from his post voluntarily for health reasons.

''I have tendered my resignation, and I am on leave now. My resignation has been prompted exclusively by personal motives.

I am exhausted physically,'' he said He further added, ''I have made this decision independently and without any pressure. While I have worked as the department chief, my annual leave was sometimes no longer than seven days.

This is a very difficult area consuming all of your moral and physical strength.'' Col Mazurkevich had been appointed to the post in 2001 by former Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov.

In the year 2005, Russian President Vladimir Putin made the fight against corruption among the government officials.

Since then, hundreds of investigations, including against senior military, security, police and justice officials, have been opened.

UNI