Newsletters / Khodorkovsky Quarterly Review

Hello everyone! We’ve got a lot to share with you this quarter.  Big changes have taken place on the level of local city politics in Moscow, setting the opposition up for big gains in 2018.  Meanwhile, Mikhail Khodorkovsky lays out the definitive roadmap for Russian democracy, and gives his view on Russian collusion with the Trump campaign.  Here’s what you need to know about what’s been going on in the last quarter in our world.

If Putin and Trump Were to Face Off, I Wouldn’t Bet on Trump

In an exclusive interview with MSNCB’s Ari Melber, Mikhail Khodorkovsky gives us his take on Russian interference in the US elections, and the Trump campaign’s ties with Putin’s inner circle. The interview looks at what it’s like to clash with the Russian president, and what kind of tactics the Trump administration will be likely to go up against should the two giants face off. Check out the full interview here.

We Must Distinguish Between Russian Society and the Criminal Gang in the Kremlin

On October 12 Mikhail Khodorkovsky gave the first Lantos Rule of Law Lecture in Washington DC. The lecture set out the importance of distinguishing between Russian society and the Kremlin.  Only through this recognition can a new era of West-Russia relations arise that views Russian society as an ally and, more importantly, the country’s future.

A Problem Much Bigger Than Putin

In an op-ed for the New York Times, Mikhail Khodorkovsky lays out the definitive roadmap for Russian democracy.  Khodorkovsky looks to the history of Russia’s constitution as a way to restore genuine parliamentary representation to the regions and discard the centralised, authoritarian system.  Such a move is not revolutionary, it is merely a return to Russia’s constitutional foundations.  Read the full article here.

A New Type Of Urban Politics Is On The Rise In Moscow

In early September municipal elections took place across the Russian capital of Moscow.  Contrary to all expectations, and in the face of numerous obstacles laid down by the ruling party, opposition candidates made significant advances in the elections, including 67 graduates from Open Russia’s Open Elections school.  This means a genuine challenge for the mayoral office in next year’s elections.  Mikhail Khodorkovsky shares his thoughts here.