Russian Oligarch Berezovsky’s Last Words: Yet Another Version · Global Voices
Andrey Tselikov

Pavel Pryanikov, of the blog ttolk.ru (Blog Tolkovatelya, The Explainer's Blog) has published [ru] yet another “last interview” with the deceased Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky [GV]. According to Pryanikov, the conversation was meant for a book on Russian political refugees in England, and took place two days prior to March 23, 2013, when Berezovsky presumably committed suicide by hanging. Unlike the interview with Berezovsky published in the Russian Forbes [ru], where the exiled businessman does indeed appear despondent and darkly philosophical, if not to say suicidal, the man who talked to Pryanikov's correspondent seems much more optimistic, discussing his plans for the future and Russian politics. RuNet Echo has translated some of his statements below.
Berezovsky being interviewed by Sky News, in his better days. YouTube screenshot, April 4, 2013.
Responding to a question about what he would do differently if he had the chance:
На самом деле время подведения итогов ещё не наступило. А вот через 20 лет я вам на этот вопрос отвечу. […] Наслаждение в моей жизни только одно: думать о будущем. В будущем я надеюсь жить где-нибудь за городом, под Москвой, где прошло моё детство.
In truth the time to take stock hasn't yet come. But in 20 years I will answer this question. […] There is only one pleasure in my life: thinking about the future. In the future I hope to live somewhere in he countryside, outside Moscow, where my childhood passed.
Talking about the difference between Jews and Russians (Berezovsky, ethnically Jewish, says he does not identify as a Jew):
В чём сила евреев по сравнению с русскими? В интуиции. Это не расчёт. Вот я плохой аналитик, плохо считаю, плохо играю в шахматы. Но каким-то таинственным образом чувствую, что произойдет через некоторое время. Если в логических терминах сформулировать это различие, то русские – это индуктивный способ мышления, а евреи – дедуктивный способ.
What's the strength of Jews in relation to Russians? Intuition. It's not calculation. Take me — I'm bad at analysis, I count poorly, play chess poorly. But in some mysterious way I feel what will happen soon. If we formulate this difference in logical terms, Russians have an inductive way of thinking, while the Jews have a deductive way.
About Putin's supposedly Germanic qualities:
Путин в первую очередь русский. Например, он умеет дружить и ненавидеть, причём одного и того же человека – типично русская черта.
Putin is primarily Russian. For example, he can love and hate, and one person at same time to boot — a typically Russian trait.
About Western politicians and their role in upholding Putin's regime:
Я в огромной степени разочаровался в западных политиках за 10 лет, я разочарован их безволием, их глупостью. Они не видят того, что у них под носом, они абсолютно не понимают, как устроен современный мир.
I have become greatly disappointed in Western politicians over 10 years, I am disappointed by their lack of will, their stupidity. They don't see what's in front of their nose, they don't understand how the modern world works.
About how easy it would be to target Putin through his elites who have bank accounts, families, and property in the West:
Как на них воздействовать? Очень просто: визы аннулировать. И не нужно даже для 2-5 тысяч человек, а для 200 человек. И второе: тотальная проверка и блокирование счетов. Всё, больше ничего не нужно! Они сами вынесут Путина ногами вперёд.
How to influence them? Very easy: annul their visas. And you don't even have to do it for 2-5 thousand people, it's enough to do it for 200. And secondly: total audits and blocking of bank accounts. That's it, you don't need anything else! They will carry Putin out feet first all on their own.
About the Russian opposition movement:
Одна из самых больших проблем, которая сегодня существует в оппозиционном движении – это отсутствие внятной идеологии.
One of the main problems that exists in the opposition movement is the absence of coherent ideology.
Berezovsky was found dead two days later. While it is now an established fact that he was clinically depressed, this interview will surely add to the controversy over his death, and vindicate the people who think that he could not have committed suicide.