Vladimir Putin announced yesterday he would pardon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, once Russia’s richest man, after more than a decade behind bars in an apparent bid to repair the country’s battered image in the west.

The president’s gesture comes as Russia tries to deflect criticism of its human rights record ahead of the Winter Olympics, which it will host in Sochi in February. On Wednesday, Russia’s parliament approved an amnesty bill that is expected to help free 2,000 people from prison.

The timing of Khodorkovsky’s release remained unclear, while confusion surrounded the legal basis for the pardon. Questions also remain over whether officials are planning new charges against the Russian businessman – who was due to be released next year – though Mr Putin suggested this was unlikely.