Mikhail Khodorkovsky, former head of Yukos and a vocal critic of Putin, shares his harrowing story of imprisonment and insights on Russia’s political landscape. Joined by journalist Martin Sixsmith, they discuss how Western strategies can counter Putin’s aggression, the misconceptions about Russia's transition post-Soviet Union, and the potential for meaningful peace negotiations amidst the Ukraine conflict. Khodorkovsky's reflections reveal the deep-seated complexities within Russia that the West must understand to foster change.
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insights INSIGHT
Putin's Motivation
Putin's opposition to the West seems to stem from personal humiliation after the Soviet Union's collapse.
His current actions are driven by self-interest and financial motivations, not ideology.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Putin's Wars and Popularity
Putin's wars often coincide with drops in his popularity ratings.
He invaded Georgia in 2008 and Crimea in 2014 during such times.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Defending the White House
Mikhail Khodorkovsky defended the Russian White House during the 1991 coup.
He and his peers didn't initially realize their actions would lead to the Soviet Union's collapse.
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How the West Fell for Putin's Power Gambit—and How to Fix It
Mikhail Khodorkovsky
Martin Sixsmith
An analysis of how the West underestimated Putin's power and strategies, with insights
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Mikhail Khodorkovsky has experienced first hand the wrath of Vladimir Putin. Once an oil tycoon and the richest man in Russia, Khodorkovsky was arrested at gunpoint before parliamentary elections in 2003, stripped of his oil wealth and jailed on politically motivated charges of fraud and tax evasion after funding opposition parties. Khodorkovsky spent nearly ten years in prison. In September 2022 he came to Intelligence Squared to share his unparalleled insight into the inner workings of Putin’s regime. Drawing from his new book, The Russia Conundrum, Khodorkovsky reveals how Russia really works and how the West can truly begin to blunt the Kremlin’s imperial ambitions. Joining Khodorkovsky in conversation is journalist, co-author of The Russia Conundrum, and former BBC Moscow correspondent Martin Sixsmith. Our host for this discussion is journalist and presenter of BBC Radio 4's World Tonight, Ritula Shah.
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