Russia’s Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov has applied to become chief justice of the country’s Supreme Court, a position vacant since the death of the previous chief justice more than a month ago, Russian media reported on Monday.
The Russian Supreme Court’s top post opened late last month after Chief Justice Irina Podnosova died of cancer at age 71. Deputy Chief Justice Yuri Ivanenko has been serving as acting chief justice since then.
Monday marked the application deadline for the position of chief justice, according to the high qualification board of judges. A qualifying exam, scheduled for last Thursday, was reportedly postponed due to a lack of candidates, according to the newspaper Vedomosti.
Vedomosti previously cited five anonymous sources as saying that Alexander Bastrykin, head of Russia’s Investigative Committee, was “the most obvious” choice for the role of chief justice. It is unclear whether Bastrykin applied for the position before the deadline.
Krasnov, 49, has led the Prosecutor General’s Office since January 2020. Last Friday, President Vladimir Putin awarded him the title of Honored Lawyer of Russia.
He previously served as Bastrykin’s deputy at the Investigative Committee starting in 2016. Krasnov served as chief investigator in the probe into the 2015 murder of opposition activist Boris Nemtsov, and more recently, he has overseen Russia’s growing nationalization of private assets.
Candidates for Russia’s Supreme Court chief justice are nominated by the president and confirmed by the upper-house Federation Council for six-year terms. Podnosova’s predecessor, Vyacheslav Lebedev, led the Supreme Court from 1989 until his death in February 2024.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
