Putin Must Not Be Allowed to Win in Ukraine – By Reuters

By Lucy Papachristou

LONDON – Vladimir Kara-Murza, a prominent Russian opposition politician, emphasized on Friday the urgent need for Western governments and Russia’s exiled opposition to start planning for Russia’s transition to democracy once President Vladimir Putin eventually steps down.

In his first public appearance in Britain after being released from a Siberian penal colony in August, Kara-Murza stressed the importance of not wasting a crucial opportunity to establish a democratic government, reflecting on the mistakes made following the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991.

"We need to learn from those past mistakes, to ensure we do not repeat these failures when the next opportunity for change arises in Russia," said Kara-Murza during his talk at the Royal United Services Institute in London. He asserted that although the exact circumstances of Putin’s departure remain uncertain, it is likely to occur in the near future, and it is vital to be prepared for it.

Putin, aged 71, has held power as either president or prime minister since 1999 and recently began a new six-year presidential term. He continues to dominate the political landscape in Russia, with many opposition leaders imprisoned or in exile.

Kara-Murza, 43, has become a leading voice for the Russian opposition in exile after serving a 25-year sentence for treason due to his outspoken criticism of the war in Ukraine. He holds dual citizenship in Russia and the UK.

He insisted that Putin should not be given a chance to claim victory in Ukraine, stating, "More than that, he must not be allowed to have a face-saving exit from this war."

Kara-Murza called for the West to devise a roadmap for a future democratic Russia, highlighting the need for Western leaders to openly support the Russian people in their opposition to Putin. He stressed the importance of securing the release of prisoners of conscience in Russia, estimating their number to be around 1,300.

"I wake up every morning and go to sleep every night thinking about all the others who are still left behind," he remarked. He mentioned specific cases of individuals in urgent need of support, including Alexei Gorinov, the first person jailed under Russia’s wartime censorship laws, and Maria Ponomarenko, a Siberian journalist who is currently on hunger strike in prison.

(Reporting and writing by Lucy Papachristou; Editing by Frances Kerry)