Mikhail Khodorkovsky arrives in Berlin

Mikhail Khodorkovsky flew to Berlin on board of a private jet, hours after being pardoned by Russian President Vladimir Putin and freed from a decade in jail.

In a statement Mikhail Khodorkovsky, 50, confirmed he had asked Vladimir Putin for a pardon due to “family circumstances” – his mother is suffering from cancer.

The former tycoon did not admit guilt and referred to those who were “unjustly convicted and continue to be persecuted” in his case.

Vladimir Putin earlier said he had signed the pardon on “the principles of humanity”.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the former head of the now defunct oil giant Yukos, was once Russia’s richest man and had used his wealth to fund opposition parties.

He was jailed for tax evasion and theft.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was “happy” that Mikhail Khodorkovsky had been freed.