Putin nominates prosecutor who targeted Navalny to lead Supreme Court

Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed the senior prosecutor of the country, Igor Krasnov, to replace the current chairman of the Supreme Court in Russia, a move that will further consolidate power of loyalists in the judicial system of this country.

The nomination, which is presented to the upper house of parliament, Federation Council and carried out to be approved, is largely anticipated to be approved without serious opposition.

Krasnov has been the Prosecutor General of Russia since 2020 and is one of the main actors because of his unwavering commitment towards the Kremlin.

His rule as the prosecutor was marred in high-profile cases where opposition leader Alexey Navalny was prosecuted, and this case received international criticism as well as several sanctions against Krasnov by Western countries due to violations of human rights.

The fact that he was appointed as head of one of the highest judicial organs of Russia indicates that the distinction between the prosecutorial and judicial segments of the state machinery will only become further unclear.

The critics view the step as strengthening a judicial system that prioritizes political allegiance at the expense of being unbiased.

The chairman of the Supreme Court has a lot of power in the appointment of judges and leads the country in terms of ruling on matters of the law.

Assuming it is true, the appointment of Krasnov would place the key figure in the government's crackdown on opposition at the very head of the court where appeals including those of political prisoners will be considered.

Analysts are observing this to be a definite sign that the Kremlin will still have strong control over all the instruments of power including the courts.