Berezovsky says planning Russian revolution: paper

Reuters on Yahoo ^ | 4/12/07 | Reuters

[NormsRevenge]

LONDON (Reuters) - Russian billionaire Boris Berezovsky said he is planning a revolution in Russia to topple President Vladimir Putin, in comments published on Friday.

"We need to use force to change this regime," Berezovsky, who has received asylum in Britain, told the Guardian newspaper.

"It isn't possible to change this regime through democratic means. There can be no change without force, pressure."

Asked if he was fomenting a revolution, he said: "You are absolutely correct."

Berezovsky, a vocal critic of Putin, said he was in contact with members of Russia's political elite.

He said these people -- who he did not name because, he said, that would endanger their lives -- shared his opinion that Putin was eroding democratic reforms, centralizing power and infringing Russia's constitution, according to the Guardian.

"There is no chance of regime change through democratic elections," Berezovsky said.

"If one part of the political elite disagrees with another part of the political elite -- that is the only way in Russia to change the regime. I try to move that."

The businessman said he was offering his "experience and ideology" to his contacts, adding: "There are also practical steps which I am doing now, and mostly it is financial."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov condemned the comments as a criminal offence and hoped they would prompt questions about Berezovsky's refugee status in Britain, the Guardian said.

"In accordance with our legislation (his remarks are) being treated as a crime. It will cause some questions from the British authorities to Mr Berezovsky," Peskov was quoted as saying. "We want to believe that official London will never grant asylum to someone who wants to use force to change the regime in Russia."

Last month, Berezovsky met Russian investigators in London to answer questions over the killing of ex-KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko. He has also launched a $500,000 foundation in honor of Litvinenko who was poisoned and died in London last November.

[NormsRevenge]

Boris Berezovsky, a friend of the poisoned Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko, attends the launch of the Litvinenko Justice Foundation in London April 3, 2007. Berezovsky said he is planning a revolution in Russia to topple President Vladimir Putin, in comments published on Friday. (Kieran Doherty/Reuters)

[EternalVigilance]

So, I guess the question is, what kind of poison will they use on him?

[Polonius]

I suppose that means we can expect Mr. Berezovsky to break out in scales or start glowing in the dark any day now.

[jazusamo]

This doesn’t sound like a healthy thing for him to be broadcasting, Putin seems to be a man of little patience.

[lesser_satan]

Bump

[TheConservator]

Someone has tried this before:

Sydney Reilly

[Hound of the Baskervilles]

" He said these people -- who he did not name because, he said, that would endanger their lives "

Scary.

[Bon mots]

I wonder how long he'll last?

[A. Pole]

In a free and honest election, I wonder how many votes Mr Berezovsky would get versus Mr Putin?

Audio: Berezovsky on change in Russia (25 secs)

[M. Espinola]

How many votes did Putin receive honestly?

[indthkr]

Berezovsky says planning Russian revolution......

Anybody that would telegraph his intentions like this probably isn't "the sharpest knife in the drawer".

[Cicero]

I don’t think Berezovsky is telling Putin anything he didn’t already know.

Regretably the Russians, like the French, seem to be incapable of changing governments without a revolution.

Putin is driving Russia straight into the ground. But it seems unlikely that anything can easily be done to fix the situation.

Russia tried to reform itself in the last days of the Tsars, but then Lenin stepped in. That has always been the Russian way, seemingly.

[Tailgunner Joe]

Berezovsky put Putin in power in the first place so it would be fitting if he engineered his demise as well.

[propertius]

Some now, Joe. You and I agree on many things but I cannot accept any other view than that Berezovsky is a monster. True, it is nonsense that he murdered Litvinenko and Politkovskaya but this man is pond scum...

[saradippity]

I thought this guy was one of the Russian oligarchs that took the ordinary Russian for a big ride. I thought they (ten or twelve oligarchs) bought the utilities,oil industry and other companies that the communists "owned" for pennies on the dollar. They took advantage of the opportunity to privatize at the expense of the poor,ordinary Russian.

This guy is a dirt bag/pond scum. I think he fled Russia and went to England because he was about to be indicted for crimes against Russian citizens. The more I read about Putin the more sympathy I have for him.

Berezovsky was behind the rumors that Putin had poisoned Litvenenko,which was absurd. Putin may not be a good person,I just don't know enough about him, but he is not stupid and to poison a discredited,corrupt,counter-informer would be a terrible waste of time.

[Tailgunner Joe]

Hand-picking Vladimir Putin to be appointed as Boris Yelstin’s chosen successor is the greatest crime Berezovsky has ever committed.