Russian President Vladimir Putin has replaced the defense minister critical to the planning of the Ukraine invasion as he starts his sixth term in office.
Putin named Andrei Belousov, a civilian, to replace Sergei Shoigu as defense minister as the military continues a protracted conflict with neighboring Ukraine.
Shoigu will move to secretary of Russia's Security Council, the Kremlin said.
The appointments need to be approved by Russia's upper house in parliament, a move that is widely expected.
The announcement of Shoigu's new role came as 13 people were reported dead and 20 more wounded in Russia's border city of Belgorod after apparent Ukrainian shelling, the Associated Press reported.
Shoigu's deputy was arrested last month on bribery charges. The arrest of Timur Ivanov was widely interpreted as an attack on Shoigu and a possible precursor of his dismissal.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Sunday that Putin had appointed Belousov because the ministry should be "open to innovation and cutting-edge ideas."
Shoigu is believed to have played a major role in the decision to send Russian troops into Ukraine. They expected to quickly defeat Ukraine's military. Instead, it has turned into a multi-year that has left an estimated 350,000 Russian troops injured or killed.
Shoigu had headed the defense ministry for 12 years. He was named a general even though he had no military service.
His critics had called him remote and out-of-touch with the realities of the conflict, CNN reported.
Yevgeny Prigozhin had been a vocal critic. The late Wagner chief accused the Defense Ministry of blocking needed resources from his fighters.
