Army General Anatoly Kvashnin, relieved of his post as Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, submitted a report of dismissal from military service and refused the position offered to him in return. This was reported today by the Russian Ministry of Defense, ITAR-TASS reports .

As the press service of the President of the Russian Federation reported, the head of state awarded Anatoly Kvashnin the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, III degree. He was awarded this award “for his great services in strengthening the country’s defense capability and many years of conscientious service,” the statement says.

Let us recall that, according to media reports, Anatoly Kvashnin sent a resignation letter to the president in the middle of last week. Presumably, his decision was related to the upcoming reform in the Ministry of Defense, within the framework of which a number of the main functions of the General Staff are abolished. In particular, it is planned to transfer operational control of the army from the General Staff directly to the Minister of Defense.

On Monday, Vladimir Putin relieved Kvashnin of his post, and in his place appointed Colonel General Yuri Baluevsky, who previously held the position of First Deputy Chief of the General Staff.

At the moment, Anatoly Kvashnin is subordinate to the Minister of Defense. As for Kvashnin’s report on his resignation, as told RIA Novosti , “the ministry knows nothing about this.” the head of the press service of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Colonel Vyacheslav Sedov,

Experts have different assessments of Kvashnin’s resignation. As military observer Pavel Felgengauer told Lente.Ru, since 1996 the General Staff has actually been led by Baluevsky, who is “a stronger professional than Kvashnin.” With his arrival, one should not expect drastic changes and reforms of the staff apparatus, Feldengauer believes, since Baluevsky “is accustomed to the existing routine, moreover, he is a reasonable and cautious person.” However, if he “manages to carry out a purge within the General Staff itself and install his own people in key positions,” then the efficiency of this department will significantly increase, Feldengauer noted.

Anatoly Kvashnin leaves the army