Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a noted critic of the Kremlin and former oligarch, urged Western nations to dismiss Vladimir Putin’s recent electoral victory as illegitimate. Speaking in Berlin, Khodorkovsky emphasized the opposition’s unity against Putin and advocated for the West to declare Putin’s presidency illegitimate officially.
At a Center for Liberal Modernity think tank event, he expressed high hopes that Western societies would pressure their governments not to recognize Putin’s legitimacy. Khodorkovsky highlighted the significant implications of Western leaders engaging with Putin, noting that such actions inadvertently legitimize Putin’s position domestically.
Khodorkovsky, who once led a major oil company and was imprisoned for a decade after opposing Putin, now supports Kremlin-critical initiatives from his London base. Recently, he met with Yulia Navalnaya, widow of the late dissident Alexei Navalny, as she participated in the Russian presidential elections in Berlin. Their meeting underscored a protest vote against Putin, drawing thousands to the embassy.
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This opposition effort, which saw large gatherings at polling stations worldwide and within Russia, was in remembrance of Navalny. Khodorkovsky refuted division claims among opposition leaders, stressing their shared goals for Putin’s removal and the demand for fair, transparent elections.
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Echoing his sentiment, Irina Scherbakova, co-founder of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning organization Memorial, criticized Sunday’s election outcome as disconnected from reality. She viewed Putin’s 87-percent vote share as indicative of escalating autocracy. She warned of challenging times ahead for Russia’s domestic opposition, anticipating increased violence and suppression from Putin’s regime. Yet, she also observed many individuals unafraid to voice their dissent.
