One of the most prominent critics of the Kremlin Mikhail Khodorkovsky (62) warns Europe that a long-term confrontation with Russia awaits it in the coming years, regardless of the further development of the war in Ukraine. reports the portal. According to the former oil tycoon and former richest Russian, Moscow will stick to the “imperialist-military narrative” for decades to come.
At a private event in Brussels, he declared that Europe should expect a “new cold war” lasting at least 10 years. According to a businessman living in exile in London, the only deterrent against further Russian aggression against Europe during this period will be to convince President Vladimir Putin that the West poses a credible military threat.
A native of Moscow at the same time he questioned the effectiveness of Western sanctions, which he said “are putting pressure on the Russian economy, but nothing dramatic.” He also expressed skepticism about Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries: he compared the damage to just “stomping on the foot”.
Khodorkovsky claims that the only realistic period when Putin’s power could collapse was in the first two years after the invasion began—if Russia suffered a clear defeat in Ukraine. “That window has already closed,” stated. However, he recalled that, according to historical tradition, Russian dictatorships end when their leaders reach the age of 70 to 80 years. Putin was 73 in October.
The Russian authorities recently opened a new criminal case against Khodorkovsky. The FSB accuses him of running a “terrorist organization” and planning an armed coup with the help of Ukrainian paramilitary groups. The list also includes other members of his anti-war committee – activists, scientists and other businessmen living in exile.
The businessman previously spent 10 years in a Siberian prison after a controversial trial that was seen as a warning to critics of the regime. The latest accusations came shortly after the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe announced the creation of a platform for dialogue with Russia’s democratic opposition. According to Khodorkovsky the sharp reaction of the Kremlin shows “how much Putin is worried about the idea of Russian democratic forces gaining legitimacy, even if only symbolic”.
Although Western banks are becoming more wary of people whom Moscow labels “terrorists,” according to some Russians living in exile, Khodorkovsky says he expects his return to post-war Russia. However, he sees the purification of Russian society as a decades-long process.
“My generation will not live to see a return to normalcy,” he said. However, he added that it does not demotivate him. “Initiating processes that will outlive you is a normal part of working in heavy industry. The future is as real to me as the present,” he concluded.
