Mikhail Khodorkovsky, speaking about Putin's rise to power in the documentary Citizen K -

> "It seemed to me that, ideologically, he was one of our people. A man of our generation, who gets it, who wants to push Russia in the same direction that we want for it. That is towards openness, towards democracy.

Boy was I mistaken.

He's a very talented KGB guy. Very talented. You like leftists? Putin will behave around you in a way that you will be convinced that he's a leftist. You like nationalists? Putin is going to act around you in a way that you'll think that he's a bit of a nationalist. You like conservatives? Talk to him and you will get an impression that he's a conservative.

That's a talent."