The anniversary of an almost significant date passed unnoticed - 15 years since a person was arrested in Russia, one of the TOP-100 richest people in the world. He was the first among equals, headed the ten most wealthy Russians. The arrest of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and the subsequent 10-year acquaintance with the conditions of the Russian penitentiary system probably made him morally stronger, but did not make him richer.
The unspoken prohibition of politics
In November 2013, the very first imprisoned billionaire writes a pardon in the name of the President of the Russian Federation, citing a strong illness of his mother as an argument, and in December a decree on pardon of Mikhail Khodorkovsky appears. Apparently, this was the demand of Western partners, who were sure that the Russian Federation would fulfill it. Otherwise, how can one explain that upon the liberation of the rebel oligarch, the rebel oligarch flew immediately to Berlin, having a Schengen visa in a passport that was issued directly in the colony?
In Berlin, during a press conference, it was announced that Mikhail Borisovich was not going to engage in business and politics anymore, but intended to concentrate on respecting human rights in places of detention, assistance in rehabilitation with freed and charity projects. It was also stated that the refusal to engage in political activity is one of the conditions for release exhibited by the Kremlin.
The end of loyalty
But six months later, Khodorkovsky ceases to be loyal to the Russian authorities and speaks at a rally in Kiev. At the same time, the lawyers of the former oligarch are launching a number of international lawsuits in order to obtain significant financial compensation from the Russian Federation up to $ 50 billion, and they have succeeded significantly in this. From this moment begins the active life of Khodorkovsky as a politician - an oppositionist.
Having access to finances left after the bankruptcy of Yukos and having seized the opportunity to manage foreign assets, Khodorkovsky can operate with amounts from 1 to 2 billion dollars. Having invested in real estate around the world, he begins to actively support online projects that criticize the current government, investigate corruption and human rights violations. The main political asset is the Open Russia Foundation with hundreds of employees.
