New reformist Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov made clear today the Kremlin had downgraded the status of the strategic nuclear rocket forces, effectively ending a dispute that had split Russia's top brass.
Mr Ivanov, announcing the appointment of the force's new chief, Mr Nikolai Solovtsov, said Mr Solovtsov would not hold the rank of commander-in-chief as his predecessor did - a sign the force would no longer enjoy the status of a separate branch of the military.
"I emphasize that Solovtsov was appointed commander, not commander-in-chief, of the Strategic Rocket Forces," Mr Ivanov told ORT public television.
Under the Russian system, separate branches, such as the army, the navy and the air force, each have a commander-in-chief.
The move marks the start of a long-awaited campaign of reforms that Ivanov is expected to carry out on the Russian military since taking the Defence Ministry post four weeks ago.
In his previous job as head of the advisory Security Council he oversaw the drawing-up of plans for military reform that will involve cutbacks of hundreds of thousands of troops.