Russian President Putin is seen on a screen during his annual end-of-year news conference in Moscow
Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen on a screen during his annual end-of-year news conference in Moscow December 18, 2014. Putin said on Thursday former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, one of his biggest critics, had the right to engage in politics "as any Russian citizen". REUTERS/Maxim Zmeyev (RUSSIA - Tags: POLITICS ENERGY BUSINESS)