Col. Gen. Alexander Postnikov, the head...

"Gen. of the Army Vladimir Boldyrev [the previous commander] has been discharged from the Armed Forces on reaching retirement age," the ministry said.

Postnikov was replaced as Siberian Military District commander by Lt. Gen. Vladimir Chirkin.

The Kremlin press service confirmed to RIA Novosti that President Dmitry Medvedev had signed the relevant decrees.

Other new appointments of senior military personnel include Lt. Gen. Andrei Tretyak as chief of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces and Maj. Gen. Ivan Buvaltsev as chief of staff and first deputy commander of the Leningrad Military District, replacing Tretyak.

Lt. Gen. Alexander Galkin was appointed commander of the North Caucasus Military District.

MOSCOW, January 13 (RIA Novosti)