RUSSIA’S top judge and Putin’s former university pal has died today – just 15 months after taking the helm of the country’s Supreme Court.
Irina Podnosova, 71, died after battling cancer for over a year, sources say, but Ukrainian commentators say this is the latest in a string of “mysterious” deaths in the Russian elite.
Podnosova, who was appointed as Chief Justice of Russia’s Supreme Court in April 2024 under Vladimir Putin’s recommendation, died in Moscow, according to Russian media.
She succeeded long-time chief Vyacheslav Lebedev, becoming the first woman to hold the position.
It comes as Oil tycoon Andrey Badalov, 62, died after falling from the 17th floor of a luxury Moscow tower block, where he lived in a 10th floor penthouse.
Putin’s transport minister Roman Starovoit, 53, also died this month from gunshot wounds on the day he was fired – a death officially declared as suicide.
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