Most ordinary Russians applauded President Vladimir Putin's tough action against Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the head of Yukos, but the media and political elite were more critical of the authority's actions. The rating of United Russia, a pro-Kremlin party, has increased by 4 per cent in the past two weeks. "He [Khodorkovsky] deserves everything he has got. Why should he have $8bn and the rest of us nothing," said Dmitry, a driving instructor in Moscow. However, the liberal elites have been disturbed by the chilling crackdown on Yukos and its chief which evoked painful and still fresh memories of political repressions. Kommersant...