How Putin’s opponents see Switzerland

How do the leading Russian opposition figures assess Switzerland's role in the war against Ukraine? The criticism is unanimous: the country is still hiding behind neutrality and is granting Putin's confidants too many loopholes.

SWI swissinfo.ch journalist Elena Servettaz contacted the most important voices of the Russian opposition. They have long since left the country: Former world chess champion and Putin opponent Garry Kasparov lives in the US and Croatia, entrepreneur Leonid Nevzlin in Israel, economist Sergei Guriev fled to France, and economist Sergei Aleksashenko lives in Washington.  

Political activist and journalist Vladimir Kara-Mursa is in Russian custody. He answered the questions we sent him via his lawyer by writing his response on a piece of paper in the visiting room of the Moscow prison.

Kara-Mursa is very critical of Switzerland’s role: “Putin’s functionaries were able to hoard money there that was stolen from the Russian taxpayers. Switzerland has thus become Putin’s “accomplice”.

“People’s lives and the future of the entire continent are at stake,” former energy magnate Leonid Nevzlin underlines, explaining: “The Swiss bank accounts belonging to Putin’s cronies are still in operation.”

Nevzlin calls on the federal government and the banks to intervene more consistently, even in the case of concealed real estate purchases: “In this situation, it is better to exaggerate than not to do enough under the guise of neutrality.”

Nevzlin was the closest associate of ex-oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky. The latter now lives in London and says: “It is impossible to belong to Europe without sharing basic European values. That’s why there was no alternative to developing the traditional Swiss concept of neutrality.” Khodorkovsky was once the richest man in Russia. The Kremlin has put a $500,000 bounty on his head.

For star economist Sergei Guriev, it is clear that “every little loophole is used by Putin”. Switzerland is decisive in this. “It is a country that has modern technologies and banks. These could help Putin circumvent the sanctions,” he says. Looking ahead to winter, he is certain: “If there is an embargo on trade in Russian oil, Swiss traders will have to play an important role.”  

Top economist Sergey Aleksashenko is also critical of Switzerland’s neutrality, even if it supports EU sanctions. For him, that is not enough. “Those who side with the good must stop the butchers,” he says. “Switzerland is a country where many commodity traders are based, and Brussels is not familiar enough with their activities.”

For former world chess champion Garry Kasparov it is clear: “Putin must be forced to stop the invasion, he cannot be persuaded.” He wants assets of Putin confidants in Switzerland to be used for the reconstruction of Ukraine. But: “That would require political will. Despite some improvements in its attitude towards Russia, the Swiss government is not prepared to take such steps,” Kasparov complains.

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