 |
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
This protest on May 5, 2004 in Moscow was one of several worldwide in support of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Russia's richest man, whose trial on charges of fraud and tax evasion began in June. As the head of the Russian oil giant Yukos, Khodorkovsky amassed a fortune of more than $4 billion. Was this accomplished by shrewd, Western-style management of inefficient Soviet-era businesses, or by looting the country through tax evasion and sweetheart deals that he and fellow oligarchs negotiated with the Yeltsin government? This past may be largely irrelevant if, as many believe, Khodorkovsky is in prison less for his business dealings than for his politics: in recent years, he has emerged as a powerful critic, and potential rival, to Russia's current president, Vladimir Putin.
Photo: Emil Matveyev/Itar-Tass
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
