Russia’s Supreme Court chief dies at 71 She studied law with Putin

Irina Podnosova, the head of Russia’s Supreme Court, has died at the age of 71 after a prolonged illness, the court confirmed to RBC news outlet.

Podnosova was appointed to lead the country’s highest judicial body in April 2024, following the death of longtime Chief Justice Vyacheslav Lebedev, who had held the position since 1991. Her nomination to the post was submitted by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Caliber.Az reports.

Born in Pskov in 1953, Podnosova shared an academic connection with Putin. In 1975, she graduated from the Faculty of Law at Leningrad State University (now Saint Petersburg State University), studying at the same time as Putin.

Podnosova began serving at the Supreme Court in 2020 as deputy chair and head of the judicial panel for economic disputes.

By Sabina Mammadli