President Dmitry Medvedev fired Air Force head Alexander Zelin Friday, with no explanation for the move in the official statement on the Kremlin website.
Zelin has held the position for almost five years. He will turn 59 in May, just one year short of the armed forces retirement age of 60.
Media reports cited military sources that said the move had been in the works since at least the end of last year.
The statement also listed three other officials who were being promoted.
Valery Gerasimov was moved to take command of the Central Military District, freeing him from the post of Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces. The previous commander of the central district, Vladimir Chirkin took over as Chief of Ground Forces, and the previous ground forces head, Alexander Postnikov-Streltsov, was appointed Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces.
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