Russian law allows the president to enact dissolution of parliament if the prime minister resigns, though with Putin’s strong-arm tactics you can’t help but question whether he forced the resignation for this purpose. This news comes at a time when the Russian Air Force has just successfully tested the world’s most powerful non-nuclear explosive device. The fuel-air bomb is being dubbed the “Father of all Bombs,” and uses a new type of explosive developed with the use of nanotechnology.

Russian stocks fell for the first time in three days after President Vladimir Putin dissolved his government and named a new prime minister. VTB Group and OAO Lukoil paced declines…

…Putin dismissed the government as Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov resigned. He later nominated Viktor Zubkov, head of the country’s money-laundering watchdog, to become the next prime minister. The lower house of parliament will vote on the nomination as early as Sept. 14.

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