Khodorkovsky & Lebedev Communications Center

Vladislav Surkov, the Kremlin's Deputy Chief of Staff, has warned that Russia risks collapsing into chaos if officials implement liberal reforms, thereby changing the political system.

Surkov said that Russia was falling behind in many areas of economic development and could no longer rely on being a "resource power." He warned that if democratic reforms were implemented, the resultant instability would be detrimental for Russia.

Surkov said: "We must not confuse liberal, democratic society with chaos and disorder." He added, "We must understand that authority that is unconsolidated and unbalanced (and) weak democratic institutions are unable to ensure an economic revival."