MOSCOW. July 9 (Interfax-AVN) - Gen. Alexander Belevitin has been appointed the chief of the Russian Defense Ministry's main military medical department, a Defense Ministry source told Interfax on Thursday.
Belevitin replaces Vladimir Shappo, who was recently discharged for length of service.
"Gen. Belevitin is 50. He is a doctor of medicine, a professor, holds the title of honored doctor of the Russian Federation, the author of over 350 papers dealing with cardiovascular and military field surgery, and a perfect organizer of the military medical system," the source said.
Gen. Alexander Fisun, an acting chief of the Defense Ministry's main medical service, is currently at the hospital and will be discharged in line with organizational procedures, he said.