KIEV, March 13 – President Viktor Yushchenko on Thursday suspended Leonid Chernovetskiy, the controversial mayor of Kiev, from the top position in the local state administration for 15 days until a probe into his alleged wrongdoings is complete.

The move stops short of dismissing Chernovetskiy as had been requested on Wednesday by Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who had cited a number of alleged violations with privatization of land plots in Kiev.