Russian President Putin pledges to pardon tycoon foe Khodorkovsky

President Vladimir Putin said yesterday he would pardon jailed oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a surprise decision that will let his top foe and Russia's formerly richest man out of prison after more than a decade.

Putin made the comments after the conclusion of a marathon four-hour press conference in Moscow.

He was asked during the session whether Khodorkovsky, who has already faced two separate trials for economic crimes and is due to be released next August, might face a third trial. Putin was non-committal in his answer, but then following the end of the conference, in a conversation with journalists at the sidelines, said he would soon issue a pardon.

"He has spent more than 10 years behind bars. It's a tough punishment," Putin said. "He's citing humanitarian aspects - his mother is ill. A decree to pardon him will be signed in the nearest time."

In October 2003, masked commandos stormed into Khodorkovsky's jet on the tarmac of a Siberian airport and arrested him at gunpoint. He was found guilty of tax evasion in 2005 and convicted of embezzlement in a second case in 2010.

Critics have dismissed the charges against Khodorkovsky as a Kremlin vendetta for challenging Putin's power.