MOSCOW, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Armed Forces have appointed Alexander Postnikov as new commander of the ground forces, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday.

    The previous commander, Vladimir Boldyrev, has been discharged "on reaching retirement age," the ministry said.

    Postnikov's former position as head of the Siberian Military District was taken by Vladimir Chirkin.

    Meanwhile, Alexander Galkin was appointed commander of the North Caucasus Military District. Andrei Tretyak was appointed chief of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces. His predecessor, Sergei Surovikin, was appointed chief of staff and first deputy commander of the Volga-Urals Military District.

    Ivan Buvaltsev would replace Tretyak as chief of staff and first deputy commander of the Leningrad Military District.