Russia has appointed Colonel-General Alexander Lapin as its new chief of staff of the country’s ground forces

Russia has appointed Colonel-General Alexander Lapin as its new chief of staff of the country’s ground forces, Qazet.az reports according to state-owned news agency TASS.

His appointment comes despite fierce criticism over his performance in Ukraine as commander of Russia’s central military district, Reuters reports.

He was criticised by Vladimir Putin’s allies after Russian forces were driven out of the city of Lyman in eastern Ukraine, a key logistics hub.