Putin's Foe Warns Europe: Be Prepared for a "Second Cold War"

Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Russia's former richest man and oil magnate, recently warned Europe that, regardless of how the Ukraine situation evolves, it must be prepared for long-term confrontation with Russia, even entering a "Second Cold War."

According to a report by the U.S. political news website Politico Europe, this exiled businessman, who is seen as the Kremlin's top critic, pointed out that Europe must face reality — the tense relationship with Russia will not ease in the short term. "We should expect that a situation similar to the Cold War will last at least ten years," said Khodorkovsky.

He believes that during this period, the only factor that can curb Russia from further expanding into Europe is Putin's belief that the West has a credible and deterrent military force.

In the Cold War that lasted nearly half a century in the 20th century, the Soviet Union and the Western bloc faced each other, trying to weaken each other while striving to avoid open conflict or nuclear war in Europe. Now, NATO and European country officials generally believe that Russia is re-adopting "attrition warfare" and "hybrid warfare" strategies, using means such as political infiltration, cyber attacks, and media manipulation to undermine the unity and stability within the West.

Khodorkovsky was imprisoned in Russia for ten years due to his opposition to the Putin regime and is currently living in London. In an interview, he pointed out that economic sanctions imposed by the West on Russia have "caused some pressure," but their overall impact is limited. "Sanctions have indeed placed some burden on the Russian economy, but they have not fundamentally changed the Kremlin's policies."

Regarding Ukraine's strategy of continuously launching drone attacks on Russian refineries, Khodorkovsky expressed doubt. He pointed out that even with more powerful Tomahawk cruise missiles, the area that can be destroyed is at most two hectares, while a typical Siberian refinery covers about 1500 hectares. "Such attacks are like stepping on someone's foot — it hurts, but it's not fatal."

Khodorkovsky also believes that there is almost no real threat to Putin's control over power. He said that if one wants to shake the Putin regime, the only possible window of opportunity was in the first two years after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine — provided that Russia suffered a decisive defeat on the battlefield. However, "this opportunity window is now closed."

(Country Cat)

Figure: Khodorkovsky warns Europe to be prepared for a second cold war, regardless of the development of the Ukraine situation. (AP Archive Photo)

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1848403631763783/

Statement: The article represents the views of the author.