Mikhail Khodorkovsky has commented on the decision of the Supreme Court, which released Platon Lebedev but did not drop the absurd 17.5 billion rouble tax claim against the two men.

Khodorkovsky told The New Times magazine:

“Of course, I was glad when I found out Platon (Lebedev) would be released. I hope they will let him go abroad so that he could undergo treatment – his health is not great.

As for the Supreme Court’s refusal to cancel the suit by the tax service, I got the message.

I posed the question publicly – they answered me publicly, having refused to execute the European Court’s judgment. It means but one thing – I am not welcome in Russia.”

The New Times report of Khodorkovsky’s comments can be read in Russian here.