MOSCOW, December 23. /ITAR-TASS/. German Chancellor Angela Merkel would tell about her role in freeing ex-tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, if she played any role in this, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said on Monday.

He commented on mass media reports saying the German chancellor had played a certain role in freeing the CEO of the fallen oil giant Yukos.

 

Khodorkovsky released from prison

Friday, December 20, ex-Yukos head Mikhail Khodorkovsky has been released from prison after spending more than 10 year behind bars. This followed the news that Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on pardoning Khodorkovsky. Mikhail Khodorkovsky later announced that he requested that Russia’s President pardoned him “due to family reasons” and that “he is happy with the positive decision.” “There was no issue on determining guilt,” reads the statement, which was published by the press secretary of the former head of Yukos.

The Federal Penitentiary Service announced that after being freed he made a personal request to process his papers in order to be allowed to travel abroad.

 

Ex-Yukos head arrives in Berlin

On the same day, the former business tycoon arrived in Berlin by a private jet. Hans-Dietrich Genscher, former Foreign Minister of Germany, met him as he arrived. According to media reports, the German politician had asked the OBO Betterman Group to provide a plane for Khodorkovsky.

On Sunday, December 22, Mikhail Khodorkovsky addressed a news conference behind closed doors in Berlin.

Khodorkovsky currently stays at the five-star Hotel Adlon in central Berlin. He declined to answer the question where he was planning to live in the future, saying he had not discussed it with his family yet. Khodorkovsky said that having a one-year German visa he would stay in Germany for the moment. He said he was not planning to go to Russia before he got guarantees that he would be able to leave it once again.