Dear Mikhail Khodorkovsky

Accept our heartfelt good wishes on your 45th birthday. We wish you good health, patience and a firm conviction of the mission that History has laid on your shoulders.

Having lost a fortune you have gained an influence over public opinion that could not have been foreseen five years ago. Held behind bars you have caught and held the attention not only of those who care about Russia but also among the leaders of all countries where democracy and the law hold sway. That is why you have become a symbol of the true Russia: a country with which others want to be friendly and do not fear; a country that uses persuasion not pressure and which evokes respect due to its intellect, cultural heritage and economic freedom – not the volume of oil or gas it supplies; a Russia of which its people need not be ashamed.

In your 45 years you have secured your place in history. However, those are merely the first steps towards the role you are destined to play in Russia’s future We are proud, Mikhail Borisovich, that we are travelling the same path as you.

Press Centre staff