Just days before Putin's election, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a former oligarch and ex-CEO of the Yukos oil company who spent 10 years in prison on charges widely seen as punishment for threatening Putin's position, spoke at a press conference with journalists from around the world.
When asked by "Fakt" if Russia might attack Poland in the coming years, Khodorkovsky responded,
"I don’t think the Kremlin will start a war against Poland or the Baltic states. It won’t be ready for that until the invasion of Ukraine is over. Putin’s next target seems to be Moldova. Only then might he threaten the Baltic states and eventually Poland."
He added that there is a lack of awareness in Europe of the criminal and espionage threats Russia could pose.
"Sabotages in Poland, Sweden, or Finland are possible. Putin's regime is linked to criminal attacks on opponents, who are not even Russian citizens. We are returning to the climate known from the 50s and 60s of the last century," Khodorkovsky emphasized.
Will the Kremlin Use Nuclear Weapons? "Putin is Not a Suicidal"
Khodorkovsky believes that the majority of Russians are against Putin. "Boris Nadezhdin, who was denied the chance to run in the presidential elections, gathered over 200,000 signatures of support in just two weeks despite repression. Meanwhile, Putin is said to have collected 3 million such signatures, though there is no evidence of this. It's a big lie," he evaluated.
On changing power in his homeland, Khodorkovsky stated, "It's important to promote any opposition option in Russia, including activists. At the same time, support professionals who want to flee the country." The former Yukos CEO is convinced that Alexei Navalny's widow, Yulia, will be heavily involved in continuing the work started by her husband.
Khodorkovsky believes "Putin is not suicidal" and will not risk using nuclear weapons for his purposes.
"He can be stopped by showing the consequences of using weapons of mass destruction. For Putin, losing Crimea means losing his power and eventually his life," he commented.
The oppositionist assessed that the invasion of Ukraine was enabled by the West recognizing the previous presidential elections in Russia in 2018.
