There has been an astonishing turn of events in the EuroLeague Women with coaching changes at both CSKA Moscow and UMMC Ekaterinburg before the start of the play-offs.

Gundars Vetra has left CSKA and taken the reins of Ekaterinburg, who decided to part with French coach Laurent Buffard despite the club's first-place finish in Group C.

Vetra's departure, meanwhile, has opened the door for former CSKA Moscow boss Igor Grudin to coach the team again.

Grudin also serves as the coach of the Russia women's national team.

Latvia-based eSports.lv has broken the news and the appointments of Vetra and Grudin are confirmed on each of the club's websites.

The shake-up has continued a tumultuous campaign for CSKA, whose very existence was in doubt midway through the EuroLeague Women Regular Season when the club suspended operations.

New owners were found and CSKA won enough games to reach the play-offs.

Vetra, however, didn't feel comfortable with the new status quo.

"I didn`t find a common language with the new owners of the CSKA women`s club, despite the fact that I still have excellent ties with "big" CSKA and Sergei Kusenko," Vetra said on Tuesday.

"I got an offer from Ekaterinburg before Christmas. There were talks about Buffard`s possible departure even before December 14, when CSKA crushed UMMC in Ekaterinburg 73-50.

"The working conditions at UMMC are at a higher level, so I was intrigued and accepted the offer."

Vetra has had a very busy week.

"I arrived in Ekaterinburg two days ago, Monday held meetings and two trainings are scheduled for Tuesday," he said on Tuesday morning.

"There are only six players available as many are working out with their national teams."

At the end of the week, there will be a tournament in Moscow (January 9-11) involving UMMC, Russia-1, Russia-2 and CSKA.

Vetra is not moving to the Ural city for the first time.

In the 1986-87 campaign, he began his professional playing career with SKA Sverdlovsk.

Candace Parker, meanwhile, had been linked with a move to Ekaterinburg but the USA Olympic gold medal winner won't be arriving.

"Candace will not come to Ekaterinbourg as she waits for her first baby," Vetra said.