Exiled Russian opposition activist Mikhail Khodorkovsky said he was in attendance at U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday.
“May as well check it out, since I’ve been invited,” Khodorkovsky posted on X, describing security measures at the event as “laid-back.”
Khodorkovsky attached a selfie of himself in a tuxedo, followed by photographs of the inside of Capital One Arena in downtown Washington and a guest pass for a Jan. 18 “cabinet reception.”
Public spectators are watching the inauguration from Capital One Arena while Trumpa’s swearing-in ceremony is taking place at the U.S. Capitol due to cold weather.
Khodorkovsky, once Russia’s wealthiest man, left the country after he was pardoned by President Vladimir Putin and freed from prison in late 2013.
The Kremlin said last week that it would not send a representative to the event.
“Nobody will represent Russia at the inauguration ceremony,” Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov told reporters Friday, adding that an interim charge d’affaires would attend if invited.
Though Trump invited a host of foreign leaders to his inauguration, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the U.S. president-elect had not done the same for Putin.
Trump's inauguration marks the first time that foreign leaders have attended a U.S. presidential inauguration, as they are typically attended by ambassadors and other diplomats.
Russia has not had an ambassador to the U.S. since its previous Ambassador Anatoly Antonov returned to Russia in October without a replacement.
A senior Russian senator said on Monday the new ambassador — who reports have named as Alexander Darchiyev, the head of the Foreign Ministry’s North American department — may be formally appointed in the coming weeks.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
