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For Mr Gorbachev, the danger comes from the right. “There is a real battle going on in the cabinet; there are differing approaches,” he says. He blames “neo-liberals” in the Government for pushing policies that would not benefit the Russian people.

Who are these neo-liberals? “We see them everyday, the ministers of finance and economy,” Mr Gorbachev said. He points to the Government’s attempt late last year to monetise Soviet-era social benefits, such as free public transport, medicines and electricity for pensioners, replacing them with cash payments.

Public outrage against what was seen as the Government’s attempt to shirk its responsibilities led to the first mass protests in Russia since the fall of communism. He fears that there would have been social unrest had the Government been allowed to continue with the policies. “It was winter, it was cold,” he said.

According to Mr Gorbachev, it was President Putin’s intervention that caused the withdrawal of some of the measures. “ I would like him to succeed in economic modernisation for the benefit of the people,” he said. - LINK