Putin is intelligent and dangerous because the Russian economy functions reasonably well, which Khodorkovsky attributes to Putin listening to 'systemic liberals'—economists advising on economic policy—who have no influence on Putin's political or wealth distribution decisions.
factualpending
Speaker
Mikhail KhodorkovskyEvidence Quote
“I would like to stress once again that Putin in fact is quite a intelligent and rather dangerous man because look at the economy of Russia it is still quite okay why is that why is it coping is because people who are in charge of the Russian economy are the so-called systemic liberals people like and others he um and Putin actually listens to these people and their advice when they talk about the economy per se absolutely is but they have absolutely no influence on Putin uh in terms of politics or on the decision”
Source
How The West Can Stop Putin, with Exiled Critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky | Intelligence Squared— Intelligence SquaredCreated: 8/10/2026, 10:56:34 PM
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