Russian President Vladimir Putin is purging more regions of their governors. The Kremlin dismissed Samara Gov. Nikolai Merkushkin on Sept. 25 and Nizhny Novgorod Gov. Valery Shantsev on Sept. 26. On Sept. 27, Krasnoyarsk Gov. Viktor Tolokonsky and Dagestan head Ramazan Abdulatipov both resigned. The Russian media had been ripe with rumors over the weekend of a coming purge. One source told Kommersant that the president was considering firing the heads of Samara, Nizhny Novgorod, Murmansk, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Nenets Autonomous District, Krasnoyarsk, Altai, and several republics in the Northern Caucasus, including Dagestan. Vedomosti added Primorsky to the list. Putin's press secretary declined to comment on the rumors. The Kremlin has been increasingly concerned about the loyalty of regional leaders to the government's message and directives. A handful of the 17 governorships that were up for grabs on Sept. 10 regional elections were slated to go to various opposition group candidates.