Appeal to the West – Kremlin critic warns: Putin “understands only violence”

In the face of the “terrorist Russian regime that only understands violence,” Kiev is still dependent on aid, Kasparov, who lives in exile, said in an interview with the AFP news agency in Washington. The West clearly refuses to say that “Ukraine must win,” he criticized. In the interview, Kasparov also appealed to the West to involve the Russian opposition in the fight against Putin’s aggression.

Kasparov was one of the greatest chess players of all time before becoming a bitter opponent of Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. Fearing criminal charges, he left Russia in 2013 for the US, from where he continues to oppose the Kremlin and the war against Ukraine. In 2022, Russian authorities declared Kasparov a “foreign agent,” and last week added him to their list of “terrorists and extremists.”

Putin responsible for Navalny’s death
Kasparov blames the Kremlin for the death of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, who died in a Russian prison camp around the Arctic Circle in February. “Navalny’s murder is a new milestone” in the repression, Kasparov said.

He also called for greater involvement of the Russian opposition in the fight against Putin. “To defeat Putinism, there must be a coalition with a Russian component,” Kasparov said. “The people who are ready to say: the regime is illegitimate, the war is criminal, Crimea is Ukrainian, must take part in this struggle,” he demanded.

Future plan for the Russian opposition
Together with other Kremlin critics, Kasparov says he is working on developing a future plan for the Russian opposition. Most of the dissidents left in Russia are now imprisoned or dead; the rest live in exile, and many opposition figures are at odds with each other. The team of Kasparov and Navalny have also clashed in the past.

The latest dispute among Putin’s opponents concerns the protest during the Russian presidential elections from Friday to Sunday. Putin’s victory is indisputable due to the lack of serious rival candidates and the feared influence of the Kremlin.

Western countries must accept Russian war opponents
Western countries must accept Russian war opponents, Kasparov demanded. “Give them a chance to switch sides.” For example, if programmers and engineers involved in the production of drones and other weapons were allowed to leave Russia, “it would have serious consequences for Putin’s ability to wage war.”

Kasparov expressed disappointment over the West’s declining support for Ukraine. As the Ukrainian military struggles to maintain resistance, Republican opposition in the US Congress is blocking crucial aid. “Any weakness the West shows is an invitation for Putin to become even more aggressive,” he said.

Sanctions have had little effect
According to the former chess player, the sanctions against Russia have had little effect. Kasparov called for more money for Ukraine, including from confiscated Russian assets and long-range missiles.

AFP conducted the interview on the sidelines of a meeting of the World Liberty Congress, a coalition of democracy activists from 60 countries. “From Russia to Venezuela, from China to Africa, all authoritarian regimes and dictators are working together and voting for each other in the United Nations,” said US-based Iranian opposition figure Masih Alinejad, president of the World Liberty Congress. “Now that the bad guys stand together, it is time for the good people from authoritarian regimes to also unite to spread our vision of democracy, dignity and freedom.”

The organization, founded last year, advocates nonviolent opposition and supports local activists as well as political prisoners and their families. Kasparov is vice president of the World Liberty Congress. “We are indispensable allies of the leaders of the free world,” he said.