By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV and NATALIYA VASILYEVA
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at his annual news conference in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)
Vladimir Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to a question at his annual news conference in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013. Putin says that Russia hasn’t deployed missiles to its westernmost Baltic exclave, but continues to see it as a possible way of countering the U.S.-led missile defense in Europe. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)
Vladimir Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to a question during his annual news conference in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013. Putin says that Russia hasn’t deployed missiles to its westernmost Baltic exclave, but continues to see it as a possible way of countering the U.S.-led missile defense in Europe. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)
Vladimir Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to a question at his annual news conference in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013. Putin says that Russia hasn’t deployed missiles to its westernmost Baltic exclave, but sees it as a possible way of countering the U.S.-led missile defense system in Europe. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)
Vladimir Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at his annual news conference in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013. Putin says that Russia hasn’t deployed missiles to its westernmost Baltic exclave, but continues to see it as a possible way of countering the U.S.-led missile defense in Europe. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)
Vladimir Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at his annual news conference in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013. Putin said that Russia hasn’t deployed missiles to its westernmost Baltic exclave, but continues to see it as a possible way of countering the U.S.-led missile defense in Europe. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)
Vladimir Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at his annual news conference in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013. Putin says Moscow isn’t controlling National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, who has asylum in Russia. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)
Vladimir Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at his annual news conference in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013. Putin says the National Security Agency surveillance program is necessary to fight terrorism, but must be regulated by strict rules and norms. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)
Vladimir Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at his annual news conference in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013. Putin says Moscow isn’t controlling National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, who has asylum in Russia. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)
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MOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin says he will pardon jailed oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky after more than a decade in prison.
Putin told reporters after his marathon news conference Thursday that Khodorkovsky submitted an appeal for pardon and he intends to grant it.
He says that Khodorkovsky has “spent more than 10 years in prison. It’s a serious term.”
He adds that he will be granted pardon “in the nearest time.”
The move appeared to be part of Putin’s effort to assuage international criticism of his rule ahead of the Winter Olympics in Sochi that start in February.
