Russian Supreme Court chair Irina Podnosova dies at 71
Irina Podnosova, chairwoman of Russia’s Supreme Court, has died at the age of 71 following a long illness. Sources confirmed she succumbed to cancer after battling the disease for more than a year.
Podnosova had led Russia’s highest judicial body since April 17, 2024, when she was appointed as the sole candidate nominated by President Vladimir Putin. Her appointment followed the death of long-serving Supreme Court chief Vyacheslav Lebedev, who had headed the court since 1991, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Born in 1954, Podnosova graduated from the law faculty of Leningrad State University in 1975, the same year as Putin. She joined the Supreme Court in 2020, becoming deputy chair with a focus on economic disputes and arbitration cases, despite limited experience in arbitration law.
The Russian daily Kommersant described her as a highly influential figure within judicial circles, suggesting that her close ties to the Kremlin were key to her appointment.
The Supreme Court, composed of 115 judges appointed by the Federation Council upon the president’s nomination, serves as Russia’s final court of appeal. Human rights organizations have long criticized Russia’s judiciary, accusing it of being heavily influenced by the state and routinely used to suppress political opposition.
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