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| Putin Rival Takes Message to East Ukraine | Putin Rival Takes Message to East Ukraine |
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| DONETSK, Ukraine — Not for the first time in his life, Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky, the Russian former tycoon suddenly freed from jail in December by President Vladimir V. Putin, was on a somewhat quixotic mission. | |
| Mr. Khodorkovsky, accompanied by a handful of leading Russian commentators, flew on Sunday to this tough mining city in eastern Ukraine to see whether the standoffs were as hard and dangerous as they seem from a distance, leaving the world and everyone here fearing a serious war. | Mr. Khodorkovsky, accompanied by a handful of leading Russian commentators, flew on Sunday to this tough mining city in eastern Ukraine to see whether the standoffs were as hard and dangerous as they seem from a distance, leaving the world and everyone here fearing a serious war. |
| “Donetsk,” he concluded, “is far from being as pro-Russian as it could be.” In the same vein, he said after hosting a two-day meeting of Russian and Ukrainian intellectuals before traveling to Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, and now here, Russians must reject Mr. Putin’s propaganda that “fascists” have taken power in Ukraine, while Ukrainians must concede the blunders that fed that myth. | “Donetsk,” he concluded, “is far from being as pro-Russian as it could be.” In the same vein, he said after hosting a two-day meeting of Russian and Ukrainian intellectuals before traveling to Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, and now here, Russians must reject Mr. Putin’s propaganda that “fascists” have taken power in Ukraine, while Ukrainians must concede the blunders that fed that myth. |
| For Mr. Khodorkovsky, even the separatists who declared the Donetsk People’s Republic from the 11th floor of the regional administrative building they occupied this month, proved at least capable of dialogue. Their limited room for maneuver or discussion, he said, “bore the stamp of Mr. Putin’s bureaucracy.” | For Mr. Khodorkovsky, even the separatists who declared the Donetsk People’s Republic from the 11th floor of the regional administrative building they occupied this month, proved at least capable of dialogue. Their limited room for maneuver or discussion, he said, “bore the stamp of Mr. Putin’s bureaucracy.” |
| Things did not start out promisingly, though, as the separatists initially, and aggressively, turned Mr. Khodorkovsky away from their barricaded building: “We are against you,” one man said bluntly. Eventually, the separatist leaders went to a luxury hotel in town for a 30-minute discussion that revealed the depths of emotion fueling the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. | Things did not start out promisingly, though, as the separatists initially, and aggressively, turned Mr. Khodorkovsky away from their barricaded building: “We are against you,” one man said bluntly. Eventually, the separatist leaders went to a luxury hotel in town for a 30-minute discussion that revealed the depths of emotion fueling the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. |
| “We are not professional revolutionaries,” said Denis Pushilin, the self-proclaimed leader of the People’s Republic. “We want to live better” than in the past 20-plus years, he said, when corruption racked this region. He said ethnic Russians wanted to know that they could speak Russian and watch Russian television, while preserving their view of history as centered on the Soviet triumph over Nazis in World War II. | “We are not professional revolutionaries,” said Denis Pushilin, the self-proclaimed leader of the People’s Republic. “We want to live better” than in the past 20-plus years, he said, when corruption racked this region. He said ethnic Russians wanted to know that they could speak Russian and watch Russian television, while preserving their view of history as centered on the Soviet triumph over Nazis in World War II. |
| Corruption, chaos and the loss of the certainty seemingly lent by the Soviet system, which in essence took responsibility for the lives of citizens in exchange for their unquestioning loyalty to Communist rule, are central to the dispute in Ukraine. | Corruption, chaos and the loss of the certainty seemingly lent by the Soviet system, which in essence took responsibility for the lives of citizens in exchange for their unquestioning loyalty to Communist rule, are central to the dispute in Ukraine. |
| At a meeting with civic society groups in a former factory converted into an arts center, Mr. Khodorkovsky noted that breaking with the kind of dependency nurtured by the Soviet authorities was a critical step in achieving the freedom and prosperity that both sides say they seek. | At a meeting with civic society groups in a former factory converted into an arts center, Mr. Khodorkovsky noted that breaking with the kind of dependency nurtured by the Soviet authorities was a critical step in achieving the freedom and prosperity that both sides say they seek. |
| Mr. Khodorkovsky, who was jailed on trumped up charges after he began to challenge Mr. Putin politically, emphasized the importance of standing up for one’s beliefs. In an earlier visit to Kiev, and again these past days, he said he detected even in beleaguered Ukraine a freedom that was missing in an increasingly authoritarian, “even totalitarian,” Russia. | Mr. Khodorkovsky, who was jailed on trumped up charges after he began to challenge Mr. Putin politically, emphasized the importance of standing up for one’s beliefs. In an earlier visit to Kiev, and again these past days, he said he detected even in beleaguered Ukraine a freedom that was missing in an increasingly authoritarian, “even totalitarian,” Russia. |
| “The readiness to take responsibility for one’s fate” is vital, he told the civic society groups on Sunday. “Ukrainian society is ready to do that. But Russians say they want to delegate it Mr. Putin, or another leader.” | “The readiness to take responsibility for one’s fate” is vital, he told the civic society groups on Sunday. “Ukrainian society is ready to do that. But Russians say they want to delegate it Mr. Putin, or another leader.” |
| The factory hall grew deeply quiet as Mr. Khodorkovsky continued, “I won’t teach this wonderful intellectual audience” how to live. But, he added, “after taking a decision, you have to defend it with blood — God willing, not in the literal but the indirect sense.” | The factory hall grew deeply quiet as Mr. Khodorkovsky continued, “I won’t teach this wonderful intellectual audience” how to live. But, he added, “after taking a decision, you have to defend it with blood — God willing, not in the literal but the indirect sense.” |
| As he spoke, word reached the gathering that separatists had taken control of a regional state television channel with the demand that it broadcast 24-hour Russian language news. It was a sign, if one was needed, that his quiet plea for dialogue had a long way to go to win over the militants. | As he spoke, word reached the gathering that separatists had taken control of a regional state television channel with the demand that it broadcast 24-hour Russian language news. It was a sign, if one was needed, that his quiet plea for dialogue had a long way to go to win over the militants. |
| Mr. Khodorkovsky, who once cut a brash figure as the richest man in Russia, now lives in Switzerland, not daring to return to Russia, where he still faces the danger of fines in the hundreds of millions of dollars and even further court action. When he was released from jail, it was effectively on the promise of staying out of politics. While the Ukraine crisis was then unforeseen, even a modest effort like this one might seem like an unforgivable foray into the political theater to Mr. Putin. | Mr. Khodorkovsky, who once cut a brash figure as the richest man in Russia, now lives in Switzerland, not daring to return to Russia, where he still faces the danger of fines in the hundreds of millions of dollars and even further court action. When he was released from jail, it was effectively on the promise of staying out of politics. While the Ukraine crisis was then unforeseen, even a modest effort like this one might seem like an unforgivable foray into the political theater to Mr. Putin. |
| Mr. Khodorkovsky chided Ukrainian leaders for initially stripping the Russian language of its official status. The mistake was quickly corrected, he allowed, but it had still helped Mr. Putin construct a legend that Ukrainians had turned on Russia and were now ruled by fascists and latter-day supporters of Ukrainian nationalists who had collaborated with the Nazis in World War II. | Mr. Khodorkovsky chided Ukrainian leaders for initially stripping the Russian language of its official status. The mistake was quickly corrected, he allowed, but it had still helped Mr. Putin construct a legend that Ukrainians had turned on Russia and were now ruled by fascists and latter-day supporters of Ukrainian nationalists who had collaborated with the Nazis in World War II. |
| Even old friends of his in Russia had swallowed this Russian propaganda, Mr. Khodorkovsky said. After this visit, he said, one of the most important tasks of all Russians who participated is to say firmly, “There are no fascists.” | Even old friends of his in Russia had swallowed this Russian propaganda, Mr. Khodorkovsky said. After this visit, he said, one of the most important tasks of all Russians who participated is to say firmly, “There are no fascists.” |
| “These are the same Ukrainians we knew for decades, we lived in the same state, and then in separate states, but we met,” he added. “There is no change,” and everyone should work against Mr. Putin’s effort to make the split appear irredeemable, he said. | “These are the same Ukrainians we knew for decades, we lived in the same state, and then in separate states, but we met,” he added. “There is no change,” and everyone should work against Mr. Putin’s effort to make the split appear irredeemable, he said. |
| Asked about Western sanctions against Russia, which will probably be toughened on Monday, Mr. Khodorkovsky counseled against seeing any immediate effect. “No sanctions will work instantly on Russia,” he said. For the next three to five years, he estimated, the troubled Russian economy would “get worse, but not critical.” | Asked about Western sanctions against Russia, which will probably be toughened on Monday, Mr. Khodorkovsky counseled against seeing any immediate effect. “No sanctions will work instantly on Russia,” he said. For the next three to five years, he estimated, the troubled Russian economy would “get worse, but not critical.” |