Khodorkovsky Channels Lenin to Plot Next Russian Revolution
By Irina Reznik, Ryan Chilcote and Henry Meyer Dec 12, 2014 5:37 AM ET
A century after Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin plotted revolution from Zurich, Russia’s most famous ex-prisoner, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, harbors similar ambitions from self-chosen exile in the Swiss city.
Almost a year into his freedom, Khodorkovsky insists the tide is turning against President Vladimir Putin as the Russian economy heads into recession. Government revenue has been squeezed and the ruble has tumbled to record lows because of a collapse in oil prices and sanctions imposed over the Ukraine conflict.
“Putin has far less room to maneuver financially, which creates difficulties for him, and as a result the cost of any mistakes he may make could be critical,” Khodorkovsky, 51, said in an interview in Zurich, dressed casually in a sweater, jeans and sneakers. “For Putin, even $120 a barrel for oil is a problem because, with his system of rule, he can’t survive without the revenue from raw materials growing every year.”
Once Russia’s richest man with a fortune of $15 billion at the time of his imprisonment in 2003, the former Yukos Oil Co. tycoon is seeking to galvanize the faltering opposition to Putin’s 15-year-rule. Khodorkovsky says he’s undeterred by the president’s ratings of more than 80 percent after months of standoff with the U.S. and European Union.
Sleeping just six hours a night because he’s so busy with his new political role, the businessman spends his time crisscrossing Europe, maintaining offices in London and Prague as well as Zurich. He’s been twice to the U.S., where his oldest son Pavel lives.
more:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-11/khodorkovsky-channels-lenin-to-plot-next-revolution-from-zurich.html
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