Dual UK-Russian citizen Vladimir Kara-Murza and US reporter Evan Gershkovich were among those freed on Thursday in the biggest East-West prisoner exchange since the Cold War.
Friday 2 August 2024
A British citizen, who was freed in the biggest prisoner exchange with Russia since the Cold War, has urged people not to “mix up Vladimir Putin’s regime with Russia”.
Speaking in Bonn, Germany, Vladimir Kara-Murza was critical of how the Russian president rules the country, which he said, does not represent the entire population.
“The difference between dictatorships and democracies is that human life is sacred in democracies,” Mr Kara-Murza said.
Mentioning the war in Ukraine – which the Kremlin refers to as its special military operation – Mr Kara-Murza added: “Kremlin propaganda wants to make it seem that every person in Russia supports the war in Ukraine, this is a lie.
“Please do not allow yourselves to be persuaded that this Kremlin lie has anything to do with real life.”
He added: “I know I will return to Russia, the day will come when Russia is free.”
Mr Kara-Murza spoke alongside Ilya Yashin and Andrei Pivovarov who were also released as part of the prisoner swap deal between the US and Russia.
He said he was “sincerely glad to be free”, adding the days since his release have felt like “some kind of movie”.
The British-Russian national was serving a 25-year sentence for treason.
Fellow released prisoner Mr Pivovarov was equally critical of President Putin encouraging leaders of Western countries to “turn to the people, not the power”, adding: “We should do everything to make our country free and democratic.”
Some two dozen people from countries including Russia, the US, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway and Belarus were exchanged on Thursday.
The swap also included US Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and US marine Paul Whelan.
Those returned to Russia included a “sleeper cell” couple, prolific cybercriminals and an assassin.
VIDEO HERE:
“Kremlin propaganda wants to make it seem that every person in Russia supports the war in Ukraine, this is a lie.
“Please do not allow yourselves to be persuaded that this Kremlin lie has anything to do with real life.”
He added: “I know I will return to Russia, the day will come when Russia is free.”
He’s always been a glass half-full guy. I hope he has it right.
I am immensely cheered by Vladimir Kara-Murza’s release, because I never thought it would happen. I long ago identified him as the right guy to lead russia out of the depths of hell, assisted by his friends Gary Kasparov and Mikhail Khordorkovsky.
I formed that view from listening to his numerous podcasts with Brian Whitmore.
The three friends; (the fourth of the “freedom quartet” was of course the late great Boris Nemtsov, who chose the young Vladimir as his protege), always stated that putlerism was not as all-pervasive as outsiders think. Khordorkovsky in fact estimated that putler’s hard core support base was only 40%; the rest being indifferent or democracy-oriented.
Inside russia, putler has the far left, far right, govt employees, vatniks and assorted other scum.
“Speaking in Bonn, Germany, Vladimir Kara-Murza was critical of how the Russian president rules the country, which he said, does not represent the entire population.”
If the biggest majority support the fascist rat, as we’re constantly told, then yes, we can throw the regime and russia into the same bag. Too bad for the normal, humane Russians, but a majority is a majority.