Ukraine had quite serious impact on the many Russians. They could see that ordinary people in Ukraine which is a bordering state, very close to Russia, the people of this state are, they didn't want to tolerate anymore the power abuse by Ukrainian officials.

Weaknesses of character are normally shown in a game of chess.

Throughout my chess career I sought out new challenges, looking for things no one had done before.

My love of dynamic complications often led me to avoid simplicity when perhaps it was the wisest choice.

I certainly want to be involved in politics and help shape the transition. I am in contact with regime critics who had to leave for the West. One of them is Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the former businessman, who had to endure 10 years in a prison camp.

Most likely, the system of mutual relations that has evolved in Eastern Europe and Asia corresponds to another level of governance.

I can't think of a scenario under which [Vladimir Putin] would gradually resign from power. For him and those around him, power became a source of unlimited enrichment. A loss of power would be tantamount to an annihilation of the economic success that has been achieved so far.