Kasparov: Putin Needs to Go

“In chess you have fixed rules and unpredictable results,” Russian former chess grandmaster turned political activist Garry Kasparov said Thursday at The Hero Summit. “In [Russian politics] it’s the opposite.” Kasparov spoke with The Daily Beast’s Eli Lake about the state of Russian politics and the country’s relationship with other world powers. He said that Russia could be linked to Iran’s quest for a nuclear weapon, and warns that “Putin will do absolutely everything to protect Assad.” He said, “If you look at trouble [in the Middle East], Russia is usually behind it.” Russia needs to free itself from Vladimir Putin’s regime, Kasparov maintains, but he cautions it will be a challenge—and he won't be seeking office as part of the solution.