I have never blamed Putin personally for organising the killing of our fellow Russian citizens. Not when — very conveniently for his presidential campaign — blocks of flats were blown up in Moscow and Volgodonsk, nor when sacks of “sugar” were found in the basement of a building in Riazan, nor when the explosions took place in the Moscow metro, nor when Anna Politkovskaya was killed on Putin’s birthday, and nor when he halted the inquiry into the murder of Boris Nemtsov.

I am not blaming him now, when the explosion in the St. Petersburg metro “conveniently” distracts attention from the anti-corruption protests.

I am not withholding blame because I believe that Putin (whom I knew) isn’t capable of such a thing (I’m aware people can change), but rather because if we are building a law-governed society then such accusations cannot be throw around without solid evidence.

But I am convinced that the political responsibility is on him. In a country where any issue is solved through the president, in a country where officials say “without Putin there is no Russia” it cannot be any other way. It cannot be that when everything is good; it’s Putin, and when everything is bad; it’s the enemy.

It was he who awarded such power to the corrupt clans in his entourage. In their struggle for influence and riches they are more than capable of, if not organising, then at least closing their eyes and giving a nudge to the organisers of such barbarity. They are paving the way for terrorists by demanding that those whom the citizens pay for their safety deal with the people who are trying to prevent the clans from stealing!

I am convinced that the biggest terrorist in Russia is the systemic corruption of the Kremlin. It’s against this that people should come out on to the streets.