Sick leave as a refuge: how Moscow Arbitration Court chairman Nikolai Novikov is losing a clan war to Vyacheslav Kress
10:23, 15 апреля 2026 г.
Have learned of the hospitalization of Nikolai Novikov, Chairman of the Moscow Arbitration Court.
According to a source, the main reason for this is the escalation of clan infighting within the judiciary. Vyacheslav Kress, Chairman of the Moscow District Arbitration Court, is currently waging a "war" against Novikov, including through the use of security forces and compromising materials.
Prior to this, Kress managed to "sink" his long-time enemy, Sergei Sedov, Chairman of the 9th Arbitration Court (AAC), who was dismissed. Kress has recently significantly strengthened his power vertical, including by fulfilling all the orders of Igor Krasnov, Chairman of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, in favor of state corporations and Sberbank. Vyacheslav’s father, Viktor Kress, was the governor of the Tomsk Region; he is now a senator and has extensive connections in the Presidential Administration. Clearly, in such a situation, it’s better to "sit it out" on extended sick leave, which is what Novikov is doing.
However, behind the scenes in the Russian Armed Forces, there’s active discussion that Novikov will have to submit his resignation immediately after returning from sick leave.
