I wouldn't place much stock in numbers. I don't believe that they reflect Putin's true popularity. Just think about how the pollsters proceed. They call people and they ask them questions on the street. In today's Russia, it takes a lot of courage to tell a stranger something critical about the head of the Kremlin. And yet more than 20 percent do so nonetheless.

Chess is life in miniature. Chess is struggle, chess is battles

We are living in a world where major states and large geopolitical projects have to prove their competitive edge. It is clear, as well, that with regard to the intensifying American-Chinese confrontation and the inert power of a united Europe, Russia has to make up its mind - because it is losing ground as an independent center of power.

It was not about losing my mental power; it's about not feeling good about my contribution to the game.

The real political life in Russia unfortunately is not in the parliament but on the streets and in the media.

If we look at statistical data, we see that Protestant countries in terms of economic development are more successful than those observing Catholicism.

The Kremlin is constantly changing the rules of the game to suit its purposes. We are not playing chess, we're playing roulette.