The prosecutor demanded that Kobleva be sentenced to 10 years in prison.

During the closing arguments in the case of Rostov judge Elena Kobleva, accused of accepting a bribe, the prosecutor demanded a 10-year prison sentence. For the other two defendants, the prosecution requested seven and nine years in prison.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," the High Qualification Collegium of Judges of Russia (HQCJ) approved the arrest of former chairwoman of the Sovetsky District Court of Rostov-on-Don, Elena Kobleva, and in July 2024, the Moscow City Court remanded Kobleva into custody.

The trial of Elena Kobleva, accused of receiving 500,000 rubles for the return of two boats and a seine net, is nearing completion in the Krasnodar Regional Court. The state prosecutor proposed sentencing the former judge to 10 years in prison, and the man accused of bribery and the intermediary to nine and seven years in prison, respectively, Kommersant reported today.

Former judge Elena Kobleva is accused of accepting a large bribe (Part 5, Article 290 of the Russian Criminal Code), while Vladimir Bozhenko, the foreman of the Zemlya Dona fishing cooperative, is accused of accepting a bribe (Part 4, Article 291 of the Russian Criminal Code), and businessman Nikolai Studenikin is considered an intermediary (Part 3, Article 291.1 of the Russian Criminal Code). The prosecutor also believes each defendant should be fined 15 million rubles.

Kobleva, Bozhenko, and their defense attorneys insisted during their closing arguments that their guilt in accepting and accepting a bribe had not been proven. The defendants noted that the judges who ruled on the fate of the boats denied any interference in the situation.

In his final statement, Vladimir Bozhenko asked for acquittal. Elena Kobleva stated that she hoped for a fair verdict. Nikolai Studenikin admitted guilt and asked for a lenient sentence, the publication writes.

As a reminder, in December 2025, Alexander Bastrykin, head of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, requested the High Qualifications Commission's (HQC) approval to prosecute five judges of the Sovetsky District Court of Rostov-on-Don, including Elena Kobleva. The panel granted permission to initiate criminal proceedings.

The new case is planned to be investigated on 13 counts. According to documents read out at the HQCJ meeting, Kobleva led an organized group of judges who issued rulings in exchange for bribes. They then passed some of the proceeds on to her. The former Rostov-on-Don court chairperson is slated to be charged with eight counts of accepting large bribes, one particularly large bribe, issuing a knowingly unjust ruling, and three counts of obstructing justice.

On December 9, 2025, the HQCJ authorized the initiation of criminal cases against four of Kobleva's colleagues, who, according to investigators, were part of the criminal group.