Khodorkovsky & Lebedev Communications Center

Boris Dubin, head analyst of the Levada Opinion Center, comments on the latest opinion poll on Russians' attitude towards the Khodorkovsky-Lebedev trial.

Dubin said that 25% of respondents would have freed Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev, if they had power to do so. Of those respondents, 60% were Muscovites, 57% were managers and 48% were wealthy individuals. Additionally, 41% of respondents said that they believed the authorities were putting pressure on the government.

Dubin added that successful businessmen are highly sympathetic of Khodorkovsky and Lebedev, and can empathize with their cause as the same may have happened to them.