Vladimir Putin is securing his power. Now he has made a fellow university student the highest judge. The procedure shows a pattern.
Moscow - Vladimir Putin continues to cling to power in Russia. He just got re-elected. With his fifth term in office, he has probably secured the presidency for life. Many observers speak of a controlled and unfree election. Nevertheless, Putin is apparently getting away with his scam. This is partly because he fills crucial positions with people who are well-disposed towards him. Often even from his immediate environment.
Putin's corrupt circle of power has now gained a name. Irina Podnosova, a former student colleague of the Russian president, has now been appointed chairwoman of the Supreme Court in Russia.
Putin shields himself: friend from university becomes chief judge
The Federation Council, the upper house of the Russian parliament, passed the decision unanimously, the Interfax news agency reported on Wednesday. The 70-year-old Podnosova was nominated for the post by the Kremlin at the beginning of April.
Podnosova was born on October 29, 1953 in Pskov. She graduated from the law faculty of Leningrad State University in 1975 - what is now St. Petersburg State University. There she studied together with Putin. Most recently she was the deputy chairwoman of the Supreme Court. Podnosova's appointment takes effect immediately. She is elected for a period of six years. She succeeds Vyacheslav Lebedev, who died in February at the age of 80 after more than 30 years at the helm of the Supreme Court.
Putin's corrupt system in Russia
In the past, the 71-year-old Putin has repeatedly promoted friends and companions from his time in St. Petersburg, as well as relatives, to lucrative positions. Kremlin critics complain about widespread nepotism and favoritism, which the president has long used to secure his power. In the past, Putin had also had the Russian constitution changed, which offers him protection from criminal prosecution. Podnosova should provide additional assurance that the judiciary in Russia is acting in the interests of the Kremlin chief.
Internationally, Putin, who has an arrest warrant issued by the International Court of Justice in The Hague for alleged war crimes, is criticized for having turned the judiciary into an instrument of political arbitrariness. In recent years, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has repeatedly criticized Russian judgments, ruled in favor of plaintiffs and sometimes awarded them compensation for pain and suffering. As part of its war of aggression against Ukraine, Russia withdrew from the Council of Europe in 2022 after 26 years of membership - this means that Russians who want to take action against judgments in their homeland can no longer turn to the court in Strasbourg.
(dpa/rist)