“We need to explain to people what they can do, persuade them to do it and help people to put an end to a dangerous situation,” exiled Russian businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky told The Guardian in an interview, reaffirming his against the war between Russia and Ukraine. .
Khodorkovsky was imprisoned between 2003 and 2013, after which he sought exile from the UK, and now considers that the invasion of Ukraine has completely changed the political agenda of the Russian opposition, mentioning the importance of “armed resistance” in the future of the country.
Among the options for the Russians, Khodorkovsky assumes a wide range: from graffiti on the walls to sabotage of the railway to prevent the deliveries of material for the war scene. “But we are very clearly against methods that harm unarmed people,” he stressed, criticizing the murder of Daria Dugina, daughter of Russian philosopher Alexander Dugin, considered the ideologue of Vladimir Putin.
The grandson of Ukrainians, Khodorkovsky says that his “impressions and feelings before and after February 24 are completely different.” “I always felt normal, there was nothing to be ashamed of being Russian. Now, every time you say you are Russian, there is internal unrest,” says the exile who admits to having broken several long-standing friendships as a result of discussions about the Ukraine invasion.
“Imagine what it’s like to know someone since you were seven years old. Now, almost 60 years old, it has become impossible to talk to them,” she says, adding that some strongly support the invasion of Ukraine.
Still, the dissident wants the West to also see the many Russians who do not support Putin or the war in Ukraine. “The West has ideological allies inside Russia who see the country as a path to participation in Europe,” he said.
“What is happening is a nightmare., but this nightmare does not mean that Russia and Europe parted ways forever. It is very important, in this difficult emotional context, that we keep a healthy mind, pragmatism and a vision of the future, of a democratic European Russia”, appeals the Russian a few days after the official launch of his next book. The riddle of Russia.
Source: Observadora
