Durant aquesta època, organitzacions internacionals van elogiar Khodorkovski, director executiu del gegant petrolier Iukos, per ser la primera persona de l'elit russa en fer-ne públic el patrimoni; es va reunir amb líders mundials, es va involucrar en conegudes campanyes d'ajuda nacional, i va fer esment de la seva candidatura en les eleccions presidencials de 2008.
During this time Mr. Khodorkvsky, CEO of the oil giant Yukos, was praised by international organizations for being the first of Russia's elite to make public his financial records; he met with world leaders, he engaged in well-publicized domestic relief efforts, and he mentioned running for president in 2008.