The former Yukos owner Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who is identified by Russian authorities as a foreign agent, has been placed on a new wanted list in connection with a fresh criminal case. Details appeared in the file maintained by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The case notes indicate that he has been re-announced as wanted for this latest charge. Previously, Khodorkovsky was sought in connection with the murder of Vladimir Petukhov, the mayor of Nefteyugansk, with the case filed in 2015. [Citation: Ministry of Internal Affairs file]
In December, the Moscow Meshchansky Court issued a fine against Khodorkovsky for failing to disclose his status as a foreign agent in his social media posts. He was ordered to pay fifty thousand rubles. [Citation: Moscow Meshchansky Court ruling]
Historically, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, once at the helm of Yukos, was arrested in October 2003. In 2005 he received a prison sentence on charges related to fraud and tax evasion. A new set of conditions led to another prison term in 2010, and his confinement was anticipated to conclude in August 2014. [Citation: Russian judiciary records]
On December 20, 2013, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree granting Khodorkovsky a pardon. Dmitry Peskov, then Putin’s press secretary, stated that the decision was made based on humanitarian considerations. [Citation: Presidential decree and official comments]
There were also moves within the State Duma to restrict loans to foreign agencies, reflecting ongoing debates about the role of foreign entities in the Russian economy and governance landscape. [Citation: State Duma discussions]