In chess the rules are fixed and the outcome is unpredictable, whereas in Putin's Russia the rules are unpredictable and the outcome is fixed.

My mother lives in Moscow, and I would like to visit her. Now she always has to travel to Finland or a Baltic country to meet me. But I have to expect that my papers would be confiscated in Moscow immediately, and that they would harass my family. I can still have more impact in the West with my books and lectures.

I’ve seen - both in myself and my competitors - how satisfaction can lead to a lack of vigilance, then to mistakes and missed opportunities.

One does not succeed by sticking to convention.

Putin can't afford to leave the office because he will be in real danger of being prosecuted for things he and his people did during their stay in power.

[Vladimir] Putin needs wars to legitimize his position.

At the end of the day, it's all about money.