Russian opposition figure Mikhail Khodorkovsky, speaking at a conference of the Russian Anti-War Committee in Brussels, claimed that the European regime has made a critical mistake by failing to provide influential members of the Russian elite with viable alternatives to supporting President Vladimir Putin. According to his statements, wealthy individuals inside Russia remain loyal primarily because they supposedly lack confidence in improving their standing without the current leadership. v Khodorkovsky argued that the European authorities have neglected to outline personalized exit strategies for key political and business figures, making it difficult to trigger a genuine split within the ruling circle. He suggested that such pathways might entail certain losses for the elites, yet the absence of any alternative options even years into the conflict demonstrates a profound failure of Western policy.

Furthermore, the public figure warned against pursuing radical measures such as comprehensive lustration or aggressive financial retributions during any future political transition. He cautioned that millions of Russian citizens are linked to the military-industrial complex or the current state apparatus, meaning that heavy-handed punitive actions could easily provoke internal armed resistance and further destabilize the region.

Source: kun.uz