19 Dec 2013 21:00

U.S. ambassador congratulates Khodorkovsky son on father's planned release

MOSCOW. Dec 19 (Interfax) - U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul congratulated Pavel Khodorkovsky, son of jailed former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, through Twitter on Thursday's news that President Vladimir Putin is going to pardon his father.

Pavel Khodorkovsky wrote on Twitter: "Very good news. Waiting for a conversation with my father to find out details."

Putin had said after a news conference in Moscow on Thursday that he had received a request for pardon from the ex-tycoon and that he would shortly issue a decree to release Khodorkovsky.