Igor Krasnov, Russia’s current prosecutor general, has become the only candidate for the post of chair of the country’s Supreme Court. On August 25, 2025, Nikolai Timoshin, head of the High Qualification Board of Judges, said Krasnov had filed his application. Shortly beforehand, Vladimir Putin awarded him the title of Honored Lawyer of Russia, allowing him to avoid the mandatory qualifying exam required to assume a judicial post.
Krasnov was born on December 24, 1975, in Arkhangelsk. He graduated from the law faculty of Pomor State University and began his career as an investigator in the Arkhangelsk region. In 2006 he moved to Moscow as an investigator in the Prosecutor General’s central office and later worked in the Investigative Committee on major cases.
The best-known cases led by his team included the murders of Stanislav Markelov, Anastasia Baburova, and other victims of the neo-Nazi group BORN. Lawyer Pavel Chikov said that this work played a major role in dismantling the armed neo-Nazi underground in Moscow.
In 2015, Krasnov was put in charge of the investigative team in the murder case of Boris Nemtsov. The direct perpetrators were detained quickly, but those who ordered and organized the killing were never identified. Two months later, Krasnov was moved to a new senior post, and another investigator took over the case. In the end, only the gunmen were convicted.
Since 2020, Krasnov has served as prosecutor general. Before that, he oversaw major corruption investigations, including those involving Alexey Ulyukayev, Dmitry Zakharchenko, and several former governors and mayors. In public statements, he repeatedly spoke about anti-corruption efforts and the seizure of assets registered to relatives or affiliated persons.
The Supreme Court vacancy opened after its chair, Irina Podnosova, died of cancer in July 2025. Until August, there was uncertainty over who would replace her, but no other applications for the post were submitted. If approved, Krasnov will lead Russia’s highest court for a six-year term.