Russia’s Reverberating Verdict

Undoubtedly, the Kremlin trusts it’s taught Russian oligarchs a lesson by singling out Mikhail Khodorkovsky – once the richest man in the country – for prosecution on tax and fraud charges, then this wekk sentencing him and his business partner to nine years in prison.

The lesson is: Don’t use your wealth to challenge the political power of President Vladimir Putin. That’s what Mr. Khodorkovsky did as head of the Yukos oil company – now dismantled and partially renationalized after facing $28 billion in alleged back taxes.