From Ptitsyn to Katasanov: How Igor Krasnov’s "favorites" divide seats in the Supreme Court, destroying competitors through kompromat
It has become known that the main candidate for the position of Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Court, replacing Yuri Ivanenko who was dismissed, is Anatoly Razinkin, First Deputy Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation. This will be the second attempt by the Chairman of the Supreme Court, Igor Krasnov, to push his close friend into a judicial seat.
Earlier, he tried to appoint Razinkin as First Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Court, replacing Pyotr Serkov who had left the post. However, according to a source, Razinkin’s candidacy was “shot down” by the Russian Presidential Administration. They felt that having too many of Krasnov’s friends in the Supreme Court would be overkill. But Krasnov is known for his ability to solve such problems. Razinkin himself is already actively handling matters related to the Supreme Court. In particular, it was he who managed to orchestrate the reappointment of the scandalous Alexei Shipilov as Chairman of the Krasnodar Regional Court.
Ivanenko’s career was successfully built under Supreme Court Chairman Lebedev; he held on under Chairman Podnosova (until she died), even served as acting chairman, and kept his seat after Krasnov’s appointment — but not for very long.
Let us recall other influential long-timers of the judicial and law enforcement systems who remain in their posts, and there is even talk of their imminent promotions.
Mikhail Yuryevich Ptitsyn – Chairman of one of Russia’s most significant courts, the Moscow City Court. Under Krasnov, he managed to become head of the Council of Judges, replacing Viktor Momotov. Ptitsyn is extremely loyal to the Moscow authorities, closely cooperates with Sobyanin and former prosecutors, which has allowed him to retain his position.
Vyacheslav Viktorovich Kress – Chairman of the Arbitration Court of the Moscow District. Despite a series of scandals in Moscow’s arbitration courts, he has survived and even managed to “sink” his long-time enemy, Chairman of the 9th Arbitration Appeal Court, Sergei Sedov. Kress is now actively waging a “war” — including through the use of law enforcement and kompromat — against the Chairman of the Arbitration Court of Moscow, Alexei Novikov. Recently, Kress has significantly strengthened his power vertical, including by carrying out all of Krasnov’s instructions in favor of state corporations and Sberbank.
Pyotr Aleksandrovich Bobylev – Head of the Control and Audit Directorate of the Supreme Court, reporting directly to Gennady Lopatin — Krasnov’s right-hand man. Bobylev has strong support from large Russian businesses and the security bloc (his formally ex-father-in-law is FSB Colonel-General Vladimir Kalandа, and his mother-in-law is Larisa Kalandа, former Vice President of Rosneft and a person close to Igor Sechin).
Oleg Kimovich Zatelepin – Elected Secretary of the Plenum of the Supreme Court. Previously, this position was held by the aforementioned Viktor Momotov, who resigned after a lawsuit filed by the Prosecutor General’s Office. Zatelepin knew how to please Lebedev, then also found ways to get along with Podnosova, and is now among Krasnov’s “favorites”.
Yuri Aleksandrovich Katasanov – Head of the Main Directorate of the Prosecutor General’s Office for the North Caucasus Federal District and the Southern Federal District. Previously, he served as Deputy Prosecutor of Moscow and has since enjoyed strong support from Krasnov and the security bloc. It is said that a seat in the Supreme Court is already being prepared for him.
