Richard Bacon asks Evgeny Lebedev: "Do you like Putin?"

Russian born Evgeny Lebedev, who owns The Independent and London Evening Standard, spoke to Richard Bacon about the crisis in Crimea; and the popularity of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Richard Bacon asked Mr Lebedev, the son of media mogul Alexander Lebedev, if he likes Mr Putin and if he was scared of the Russian president. Evgeny Lebedev said his personal opinion “doesn’t really make any difference” and thinks Mr Putin "has done a lot of good" for Russia:

“It’s an interesting question, do I like Putin? I think he’s somebody who has done a lot of good for Russia to begin with, after the period of president Yeltsin, Russia was in complete chaos. I think the later decisions may have not all been correct and I’m not so sure the country is continuing on as democratic development as I was talking [about] earlier on. Whether I personally like him or don’t like him it doesn’t really make any difference."

Mr Lebedev said he thinks the majority of Russians support Mr Putin as he is seen “as a strong leader”:

“I think if he was put up for election, in a fair and square election, I think he would have still been president, the majority of Russians still vote for him because they see him as a strong leader, there is something to be said about that kind of common belief that Russians like a strong leader.”

From the Richard Bacon programme on Monday 31 March.