Who doesnt expect Vladimir Putin to contest next springs president ial election and win it easily . Mr putin has yet to declare his intentions, but his desire to prolong his dominance of russia is surely not in doubt. Less certain is whether the president will face a credible opponent. Ksenia sobchak has one big advantage almost universal name recognition thanks to her tv career but is her candidacy anything more than a fig leaf for the kremlin . Ksenia sobchak welcome to heart talk. Thank you. You have a very big ambition. What are the qualities, the acids needed to be president of russia . First of all, in modern russia, the quality which is needed to challenge putin and to challenge him fora to challenge putin and to challenge him for a change is to be brave because elections in russia now are not elections in belgium. It is not like trying to become Prime Minister in not very big european country. Here, when you come into politics, you can face very big problems and there were already braids in my home, all my work was finished after isaid home, all my work was finished after i said about my political views is a goat and my life changed dramatically when i first went out on the street. Years ago. Now, when i take the challenge, i read it lies the risks that come with it and that the situation can be harsh for me. Bravery seems important to you andi me. Bravery seems important to you and i understand why and i would like to talk to you about what you have experienced since joining the activist opposition but i am surprised you do not use any words like experience, knowledge, an encounter in the past with managing something sick if it can. You are a woman in your30s, something sick if it can. You are a woman in your 30s, you have no experience of that can possibly the releva nt to experience of that can possibly the relevant to becoming president of russia. That is why i did not mention experience because now in russian politics, to be brave, to be persistent, are the main qualities. Iam nota persistent, are the main qualities. I am not a politician, i persistent, are the main qualities. Iam nota politician, iam persistent, are the main qualities. I am not a politician, i am a person, a journalist who knows the situation in my country is unjust andi situation in my country is unjust and i would love that may country would have Fair Elections were everyone, people with big experiences, with different political views, could take part and debate and i could come back home and do my job. Debate and i could come back home and do myjob. No, it is not like this. There are not so many people willing to take this challenge so i think it is my responsibility to be raised, to be persistent and to try to change. Around me, there are are a lot of experts, a lot of people with the knowledge of economies, politics, of institutions of russia stopped they are part of my team and they are helping me to form a Big Programme and to be together. Usually, with politicians all one of the politicians, i am testing the resolve and ability to do theirjob. He did not even seem to believe in yourself that you have what it takes to do yourjob because when you are launching your campaign, he said i have no political weight, i have not earned the right to stand as a candidate. No, stephen. It is not like this. I would say again, i think the most important thing in russia is not to change the system and this is the most important part of this programme. Iforming a Big Programme with lots of experts on economy and different kinds of things but i want to stress one thing, this is not that important now because we can release all the programmes in the world but they never managed to come to life because the system itself is so that any programme you offer it is always rejected so what is the point of being hypocritical. Lets say the truth, that the main thing is to change the system. There needs to be a credible agent of change and i would say that to many people you are not a credible agent of change. If we look at the record you were a reality tv star. It was 15 years ago. You also hosted the reality show, dom 2. Ago. You also hosted the reality show, dom2. I was ago. You also hosted the reality show, dom2. Iwas the ago. You also hosted the reality show, dom2. I was the first journalist of the world who took an interview. You have also sold a fragrance on how to marry a millionaire. It was 15 years ago. I would suggest your track record is not someone who is serious in becoming president of russia. We havent great film in russia, in the end, the hiro of the movie sets, the most awful things in this world were done with the most serious face so people first laugh at you but then they fight with it and then you win. As you know, theyre saying. I am not afraid of being ridiculed. I. E. No am not ridiculous. I know i have done a hugejob. I knowi no am not ridiculous. I know i have done a hugejob. I know i am not ridiculous. I am working on the all independent tv channel, i make a lot of journalist report and independent tv channel, i make a lot ofjournalist report and done a lot ofjournalist report and done a lot of interviews i helped Alexei Navalny. We will get with Alexei Navalny. We will get with Alexei Navalny in just a moment because his views on the york candid and see a report but you said to me, do not judge me. Let me finish. The point is this is a question and answer. You said judge me on the people you have around you. One person who two weeks after you hide him left the campaign saying it was chaotic and are designed on the back ofa chaotic and are designed on the back of a cigarette packet. One to answer the question about my profession. That rings au mentioned happened 50 yea rs that rings au mentioned happened 50 years ago, that is a huge time. People have a ready come away from prison and begin their life. I started my career as a journalist andi started my career as a journalist and i did a lot of sensational work, not only in terms of russia but in terms of internationaljournalistic work so i think this itself gives me the right to present myself in a different way. Interesting you say that. I have been a journalist for 30 years and i not sure that qualifies me to be Prime Minister of the uk. When i came to the campaigni the uk. When i came to the campaign i had zero people who really believed in what i do. Now, it is already 10 , more than the last it elections. 10 . It is already 10 , more than the last it elections. 10 . Another poll has yet at i and another poll has your disapproval. You can check the numbers are. 9 saying they might support you but it suggests that more than 60 disapprove of you and only 20 approved. Your negatives are very high. What is a 20 out of 9596 of high. What is a 2096 out of 9596 of people knowing . It is a huge number. It could be the second place in those elections and even the first place if people really believe they can change the situation. 2096 is really a lot. You your Campaign Manager left after two weeks. Alexei navalny, the leading anti putin said when he first learnt you were going to be a candidate. He said this is a loathsome kremlin game. You at telling a non truth. He said it before i went to the election. When your neighbour was put forward a. That was two weeks before i put my name. This again is called lets put a liberal laughing stock up for elections. When your name was mooted. In order to distract attention. Alexei navalny sees you as someone fundamentally unserious. As someone fundamentally unserious. Not as someone fundamentally unserious. Not now. As someone fundamentally unserious. Not now. After i put my name and said i will take part in the elections, i have not heard anything critical off Alexei Navalnys leaps. You can check these information. Lips. Navalnys leaps. You can check these information. Lips. Are you suggesting to me that Alexei Navalny is supporting your campaign . hoping that he will register to support me. He will not be registered by unlawful laws made against him so if we are fighting for the same goal, and i think we are, ioffer for the same goal, and i think we are, i offer him this option to be, you know, the person whojust opens the door. I am the one to be registered and i hope together with him that we can fight for that best future in russia. He said that if Alexei Navalny is allowed to run for the elections, you have said. M is unlawful not to make him run it. Your position still stand that if the Electoral Committee changes its mind and Alexei Navalny is allowed to run at you would act down . Of course because of Alexei Navalny has much more political weight than i do. I really respect his work. He is a hero in many ways stop if this opportunity for him would be open, of course, i think we should unite behind one leader and he isa should unite behind one leader and he is a good leader. If not. I did not finish. But mr. Alexei navalny disagrees. He says he will not help you gather this is the signatures you need but it would be better to boycott this sharat. have not heard Alexei Navalny saying this. Anyway, i do not think and do not think it is a good idea to have a boycott because sitting at home, no country has ever change. The chief spokesman for mr putin actually welcomed. As soon as you he will come due. This is what they are doing every day, trying to hug it to death, trying to say to people that she is kremlins candidate. This is their dirty game. If you know what they did yesterday, i will tell you, are part of the president ial administrator goes to the election as a candidate, saying he goes against putin but it is laughable. He goes against me. This isa dirty laughable. He goes against me. This is a dirty game they play stop from one side they say we want her to be pa rt one side they say we want her to be part of us but i do not want to be pa rt part of us but i do not want to be part of us but i do not want to be part of them. They are trying to hug me so tight in their rounds and they sent a spoiler to my campaign, a person who worked in the administration of the president. This is laughable. Lets test this proposition that you truly, truly are an opponent committed to bringing putin down. Alexei navalny said that the difference is that Vladimir Putin has not helped my family, because Vladimir Putin was the protege of your family. family, because Vladimir Putin was the protege of your family. I am sorry to disappoint you and the disappoint Alexei Navalny but it is better to say that Vladimir Putin was a protege of my father. I father was a protege of my father. I father was an m was a protege of my father. I father was anm 0 u. Was a protege of my father. I father was an m o u. When was a protege of my father. I father wasanmou. Whena was a protege of my father. I father was an m o u. When a Vladimir Putin was a junior official. No one helped my father whatsoever. It is my father who helped putin to work with him and putin was one of the people he worked with. But i was attending his old at this time. Why have you always avoided saying putin himself was deeply corrupt, as navalny puts it, the father of russian corruption . You have never attacked putin personally, when Boris Nemtsov was assassinated, and many critics of putin said putin was behind it, you said absolutely not, thatis behind it, you said absolutely not, that is not what Vladimir Putin would do. Why do you defend him in this way . I am not defending him, i am just telling the truth, even if it is politically not unsuitable. I really think putin didnt sent anyone to kill nemtsov. I know it is beyond what he would decide. Nemtsov was not an enemy. How do you know that . I am just totally sure of the principles on which i stand. He would never do it like this. At the beginning of this interview you told me you have had rates, that you have been intimidated, that you have to been intimidated, that you have to be brave to be a politician in russia today. Not to kill someone near the kremlin is something to do against not only their position, but also against putin, because, you know, this situation would be a really harsh situation for putin himself. Look on someone in the opposition is killed on the streets right near the kremlin. And nemtsov, i respect him very much and consider him to be my friend, but he was not a political figure with a lot of weight at that moment, and this is also true. So there was no sense of killing him, because he was not a threat to putin at that moment. So on that level you are saying that you dont believe putin has that in him. But, on another level, having told me that you deeply respect mr navalny, and you regard him as the leader of the opposition. Navalny, and you regard him as the leader of the opposition. Yes,. Would you echoed mr navalnys position that putin is himself the father of russian corruption, and that the people around mr putin are the most corrupt of all. Would you agree with that . I say theres a lot of times and i would also mention that i personally make a lot of effort into some of the investigations of navalny, and you can speak with him, and he will confirm it to you. At least two of his investigations were done with my help. So of course i think the whole system is corrupt, and the whole. Of course the system was built by putin. So you would like to see putin. So you would like to see putin investigated and charged . What i am saying that i dont like, when people personally insulting, and navalny is also doing this. He was coming in the square and saying, look, he has botox in his face. This i detest. I dont like to speak personally bad about. But you are accusing mr putin of kringle corruption, arent you . Accusing mr putin of kringle corruption, arent you 7 accusing mr putin of kringle corruption, arent you . I am not saying the way he looks, or i dont call him with some words. Forget about his looks, i am interested in his criminal corruption. Do you want to see Vladimir Putin put on trial . I want to see an independent trial of all the cases of corruption in russia. Of course, yes. Of all the cases of corruption in russia. Of course, yes. Including mr putin . Also i have a very important goal which i have to reach, with navalny or without navalny. I want to build in russia party after those elections. A strong party with strong leadership, which 46 next year can come to the next president ial elections with a really big result. For six. In order to have evolution, and not revolution of the system. It is not accusations harsh on a person. It is accusations harsh on a person. It is accusations with fact, which should be placed. This is what i think is very important. What did you really mean when you said this . A higher tra nsfer of mean when you said this . A higher transfer of power, the likes of which mr navalny is advocating, is a dead end. You say that your ideal transformation would be led by democratic politicians, that mr putin can trust, like for example, former deputy pm. You seem to be saying that actually you prefer putin in power with some technocrats around him and the more liberal advisers. This is not what i meant. Then you would mr navalny, who you respect so much. Ijust said and i can say once again that between evolution and revolution i would a lwa ys evolution and revolution i would always choose revolution. And if this way would be done by putin or by someone else, i think it is the best way for russia. The evolutionary way of liberalisation. The new paris troika. This is my main goal. I dont want another revolution on the streets, because this will be blood, and we know how it ends up. What i am continuing to wrestle with this simple idea of where you actually set when it comes to Vladimir Putin and power perestroika. I dont sit with Vladimir Putin. Well, could at some confusion for me. I sat with my father when i was ten years old, but you know, children sometimes really revolt against the system created by someone close to their parents. That is quite logical. All right, well, clear up one other element of confusion for me, and this concerns russias overseas policy, its foreign policy, and of course, in particular its policy in ukraine and crimea. Now, in 2014, afterthe annexation, you tweeted am i alone and proud, because you had picked up on some twitter comment criticising the annexation. You said i am alone and proud in believing it was a brilliant political manoeuvre. Yes, but i didnt set about myself. Brilliant political manoeuvre. Yes, but you are not translating at the right way. I was answering someone about putin thinking something of crimea, and the idea, i still say it, that for putin, in his mind, thatis it, that for putin, in his mind, that is a brilliant solution, and he thinks that this is the best historical thing he did for russia. And you will see it on the elections. It will be the main thing of his campaign. I made crimea that to russia. So in his mind, this was a brilliant thing, not in mine. So when you are saying you are proud to believe it was a brilliant and political manoeuvre, you only looking at it from his point of view. Of course. I see. Well, frankly, you didnt choose to tweak your absolute condemnation of the annexation of crimea at the time, but you have done since. You now say crimea is ukrainian. I was this in the dialogue about putin, putting myself into the shoes of putin, who would of course be proud of this. This is his main thing he is proud of. I see, i see. And this is how we stand. We havent time to go through all of your policies, on the economy, foreign policy, everything else. Lets do it. Well, we dont have time, but russia is in a really difficult place economically. There are still sanctions on the country, your growth rate is i this year. You are very vulnerable to shifts in commodity prices. Do you believe, going back to this question of experience, that you have the ability to turn russia around . have an ability to create another system. And the system itself will create another economy, a free economy of trade, a free economy of innovations. The things that are needed is the changing of power, so the parliamentary republic, very strong government, instead of very strong government, instead of very strong president. Ithink strong government, instead of very strong president. I think the most important thing for russia at this moment is to change president ial republic to parliamentary republic, because this will make those powers dissolve between different centres in the government. This is very important, and this is what i fight for. After this would be done, i believe strongly that, to build an economy based on liberal principles, based on property, not owned by government, but i business and people who really work on it, will bea people who really work on it, will be a matter of not really big time. If, come march of next year, you are the main, quote unquote opposition candidates, fighting Vladimir Putin. I am not quote unquote, i am an 0pposition leader. Putin. I am not quote unquote, i am an opposition leader. And what happens is this, and it is the most likely scenario, according to all the polls, that Vladimir Putin scores an overwhelming, huge victory, and the kremlin says, look, it was entirely legitimate, we had a real election, there was a choice. The choice was putin against sobchak, and sobchak one putin won a very, sobchak, and sobchak one putin won a very, very big mandate. How will you feel about that . Will you feel like a useful idiot . It will be legitimate, because your Prime Minister or the president of america would be the first ones to call and legitimated for mr putin, by their congratulations. 0r legitimated for mr putin, by their congratulations. Or maybe have some doubts that your Prime Minister wont do it . So in your own words, you will be very useful legitimating. It is not because of me taking part in those elections. It is me taking part in those elections. Itisi me taking part in those elections. It is i fight for my people. I want them to be heard. I want mr putin to see how many people are against him in our country, because there are many people who are against his policy. Senior sobchak, we have two end there, but thank you very much for being on hardtalk. Thank you, thank you. Hello there. Monday brought some of us something a little bit milder. That is not a sign of things to come. During tuesday, and indeed the rest of the week, we are back into this feed of northerly winds, all the way from the arctic. Cold air sweeping southwards right across the country. Quite a few showers, as well, and where those showers have been falling through the early part of the morning, there is certainly the risk of some icy stretches across parts of Northern Ireland and into scotland. Take it easy on untreated roads and pavements. Some of the showers across scotland will be wintry. Some rain, some sleet, some hail, and some snow, the snow mostly over high ground at this stage. Showers beginning to push into the east coast of england. But, through north west england, down into the midlands, a dry start, yes, a cold and frosty start in places, with temperatures ofjust one or two degrees at 8 00am in the morning. Showers continuing to feed across west wales, into devon and cornwall. Most of these showers will be falling as rain. A few showers across dorset, perhaps into hampshire, as well. But for east anglia and the south east, a dry start, yes, but a chilly one three, four or five degrees. A lot of crisp sunshine, then, to come during the day on tuesday, but the showers continue to feed in across eastern areas, drifting that bit further south, perhaps into east anglia, parts of the east midlands, as the day goes on. These showers wintry, particularly over high ground. A few showers out west, as well. Even in the sunshine, feeling cold five to eight degrees. Now, as we go through tuesday night, the showers continue to feed in across eastern areas. These showers wintry, mostly over high ground, but perhaps starting to turn wintry to slightly lower levels at this stage. Temperatures hovering around freezing, or a touch below. There will be frost for some of us on wednesday morning. So this is how the weather pattern looks. High pressure to the west, low pressure to the east. That is what is feeding the northerly winds down across the country. Strong, biting winds on wednesday, particularly towards the east, where there will again be plentiful showers, and late in the day, we may even start to see some sleet and some snow to pretty low levels. Some sunshine, too. Not as many showers at this stage in the west. Three to seven degrees, that is your lot. Thursday a similar day, but if anything, a colder day still. Some snow is possible to fairly low levels in the east. A few showers in the west, as well. Plenty of sunshine in between. But add on the strength of the wind, this is what it will feel like, many places feeling sub zero during thursday. So, for the rest of the week, a cold wind. Yes, some crisp sunshine, but some wintry showers as well. This is the briefing. Im sally bundock. Our top stories pope francis continues the second day of his visit to myanmar, but will he raise the Rohingya Crisis with Aung San Suu Kyi . More than 100,000 people near mount agung in bali are urged to evacuate as the indonesian authorities warn it could erupt at any time. Tight security in kenya ahead of president kenyattas inauguration for a second term in office. A europe wide investigation into ubers data breach steps up a gear well find out whats at stake. Also in business briefing, we take you to vietnam where tech start ups are booming