Since his release on a presidential pardon in 2013, Khodorkovsky has led an opposition movement from exile and he has frequently spoken out in favor of a less centralized power structure in Russia.
He has been tepid in expressing support for Russia’s main opposition politician, Navalny.
“[If Navalny won], we would go back to a system of power monopoly, which is unpleasant for everybody,” Khodorkovsky told Dud. “It is very important for Navalny to come to power alongside other people.”
He added that when Putin first came to power in 2010, he was also “significantly more liberal.”
“The path traveled by this country’s leaders has always been more or less the same,” he added.
In September 2016, Khodorkovsky announced he would fund a candidate to run against Putin in next year’s presidential elections.